Battered Sea Cucumber Tacos with Terry Phair of Lummi Seafood Market

Why this specific dish?:

I think it’s important to eat what you catch. With this, you have to learn to explore ways to eat various types of seafood products. The Lummi language word for Sea Cucumber is Sikwt. Within the Salish Sea, we harvest Sea Cucumbers, which are often exported out of the country. They are invertebrates that live at the bottom of the sea. Sea Cucumbers have a  soft bumpy outer appearance, called echinoderms, which are very similar to starfish and sea urchins. It is a sustainability managed food source that I would love to see people learn to eat locally and domestically.

Sea Cucumbers look intimidating because they resemble a weird slimy sci-fi like creature. However, inside the Sea Cucumber, it has a white clam-like meat. When cooked properly, it tastes similar to calamari that you often see on a restaurant menu. The texture when cooked, according to our recipe, tastes like a sweet fried crunchy delicious calamari chip, but looks like a clam strip. I would like to take the scare out of eating Sea Cucumbers.

What people do not realize is they are a great way to get your healthy proteins that are low in calories filled with nutrients and antioxidant properties.

What’s Lummi Seafood Markets’s background?

Since 2017, Lummi Seafood Market Native-Indigenous owned business that provides Salish Sea fresh and frozen seafood products, with an intention of education and keeping our products local to share with the community and domestically. We also provide speciality and unique foods on seasonal occasions. The market provides job opportunities for Lummi tribal members and also a venue for local fishermen to sell their catch. Majority of our products are proudly caught by Indigenous-Native American people across the Pacific Northwest.

What fishing practices do you use?

I have been in the fishery industry since an early age. Fishing, crabbing, prawns and other fishery types with my father, uncles and now my own children. For almost 15 years, I have also been a certified commercial diver who dives with the Lummi Nation. We commercially harvest Salish Sea Cucumbers, Sea Urchins and Geoduck Clams.

Why do you do what you do for a living?

I am a vessel owner who is also a commercial diver, fisher person, business owner of the Lummi Seafood Market retail store and provide wholesale food service locally, and a fishery buyer, licensed under the Lummi Nation. In 2023, I started my own product line, called Salmon Woman -- canned Sockeye, King and Coho, freshly cured salmon eggs and other prepared meals.

Why does it matter?

Food sovereignty matters to local communities. Because seafood is sacred to Native-
Indigenous communities within this Salish Sea region. Seafood is our connection to the earth and the sea, and our local seafood is central to everything we do for events and ceremonies. Seafood is also critically important to Native-Indigenous and surrounding communities to help provide nutritious food security. To be able to harvest and provide local seafood means that we are doing our part at Lummi Seafood Market to ensure we are exercising our 1855 Point Elliot Treaty rights through both inherent and acquired rights, and confirmed by the Judge Boldt Act of 1973. By participating in the seafood industry, I am able to express self-determination through action-based food sovereignty practices and positively influence my own Lummi Nation community, surrounding community and one day hope to impact regional policy changes that better support Native-Indigenous peoples.

What would you like everyone to know about you?

My Native given name is Squad-dom-a-hon from the Snohomish/Snoqualmie area. My sons and I belong to the Moon People. I am an enrolled citizen of the Lummi Nation and a Indigenous ancestry from many different territories from Tlingit in Alaska to Suquamish and Snoqualmie, and all the way down to Modoc people in Oregon. I love to continue to be a lifelong learner of our people’s history, culture and language.

I have two sons (Jaden, Squad-dom-a-tud and Sky, Chi’yad’Kanim, and a life partner (Laura Ple’la’e’lut). I enjoy my time with my family and all of our animals.

Battered Sea Cucumber Tacos with Sea Urchin Roe, Guac & Aioli

Recipe from Terry Phair of Lummi Seafood Market

Ingredients

Tacos:

• Salish Sea Cucumber White Meat (Fresh or Frozen)

• Buttermilk

• Sea Salt and Pepper

• White Flour

• Olive Oil

• Cajun Seasoning

• Corn Taco Shells (soft & small ones work best)

• Salish Sea Urchin Roe (Fresh)

Guacamole:

• 2 medium avocados, diced

• 1 Roma tomato, chopped

• 1/2 small onion, chopped

• 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

• 4 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

• 1 large lime, fully squeezed

• Salt and pepper, to taste.

Aioli Sauce:

• ½ cup mayonnaise

• 2 Tbsp sriracha chili sauce, adjust to your liking

• 1 Tbsp fresh garlic, chopped

• ¼ tsp sea salt

• ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions

Prepare the Guacamole & Aioli Sauce:

1. Make guacamole by mashing together all ingredients with a fork and set to the side.

2. Make aioli sauce but combining all ingredients, adding cayenne pepper to spice level desired.

Prepare The Sea Cucumbers:

1. Use 10 lbs or 10 cucumbers of fresh or dethawed Salish Sea Sea Cucumbers.

2. With a knife, cut open the Sea Cucumber in half (the long way, vertically) and discard all the guts in a bowl.

3. Either using a knife, metal spatula or a spoon, scrap out the white meat on the inside. Discard the outer skin and any hard parts of the Sea Cucumber.

4. Using a knife, chop up the Sea Cucumber in small strips about 2” inches long and ¼” inch wide, or until your liking (smaller the strip makes it crunchier when cooking).

5. Marinate the meat. Place the cleaned white meat in a separate bowl with buttermilk and a 1-2 teaspoons of sea salt and 1-2 tablespoons of cajun seasoning (optional). Make sure meat is fully submerged in liquid. 

6. Cover the bowl with a lid, then place in the fridge for 30 mins or more (overnight or for up to about 4 days is okay too).

Cook The Sea Cucumbers:

1. In a frying pan with olive oil, lightly cook the corn tortillas for about 30-45 seconds on each side. Place them in a tortilla holder to keep them warm.

2. Place white flour inside a small bowl. You can add more cajun seasoning (optional), salt and pepper, or your favorite seafood seasoning, mixed in with the flour.

3. Take Sea Cucumber meat out of the fridge and place side-by-side with the bowl of flour.

4. Pre-heat the frying pan with half an inch deep of olive oil up to a little bit about medium high heat. 

5. Dip the buttermilk marinated Sea Cucumber meat in the flour, ensuring all parts are fully covered.

6. Then place the floured Sea Cucumber meat in the frying pan. Fry on each side for about 1 minute (total of 2 minutes) or until golden brown. Longer the cucumbers cook, the crunchier it is. Recommend using an oil shield to prevent any splashing and using metal tongs to cook with.

7. With a bowl or place, use some paper towels on the bottom to take off any excess oil.

8. While still hot, add a little bit of sea salt (optional).

Make the Tacos:

1. On a plate, take your corn tacos and add guacamole, crunchy Sea Cucumber strips, Sea Urchin Roe (optional, but highly recommended), and add your aioli sauce to your liking, and a little squeeze of lime (optional).

1. Eat and enjoy! Then repeat!