Continuing my discussion of the New Year's holiday in Japan, we move on to the lobster feast that we had on December 31st, 2012 (our above red friend was actually boiled on the 25th, the feast on the 31st is described below). For those of you not in Japan or not familiar with Japan, here is a little information about New Year's Day. As discussed in an earlier post, Christmas does not have the same important meaning it does in the West. For Japan, New Year's Day or お正月is their most important holiday. Accordingly, many Japanese have a 5-7 day vacation (depending on the date New Year's Day falls on) for お正月. This year was no different and we had the entire week from December 31st to January 4th off.
So after going to Namja Town again with my mom and cousin, who were in from Chicago, we had dinner and then proceeded back home. While walking through the Aeon supermarket around 8pm, we noticed that there were half off live lobsters for 980 yen. Another thing about Japan is that supermarkets always discount food at the end of the day to quickly move it. So these sad crustaceans didn't move during the day and were discounted during the evening. Live North American lobsters are not something you ordinarily find in Japanese supermarkets and these guys were probably brought in due to the overabundant 2012 lobster haul and for the 2012 holiday season. The week before I had gotten another live lobster and made the mistake of putting it in a little bit of fresh water which effectively nearly drowned it; he was pretty weak when I cooked him. Here is a little live lobster 411:
- Due to the decomposition of their digestive systems, lobsters go bad extremely quickly. As a result they are best cooked live or only very recently after dying.
- A live lobster's tail will curl when cooked as a natural clenching reaction, so if you by a cooked lobster, the tail should be curled in. Fresh water drowns live lobsters, but they have special organs that allow them to breathe air for a few days.
- If you need to store live lobsters, place them in a paper bag with wet paper towels (they need moist air) and then put the bag in the fridge. Freezing them will kill them.
- Steaming rather than boiling lobsters results in more tender meat. I've tried both, the steamed lobsters were a bit more tender.
- Lobsters should be cooked in the pot about 8 minutes per pound, with an additional 3 minutes for each additional pound.
Lobsters should be fighty mad about being cooked and these guys were.
The rubber bands on their claws should be clipped just before being put in the pot to avoid having a rubbery tasting lobster.
To steam lobsters, put about 1-2 inches of water in a pot with 3 tablespoons of salt (we used Old Bay seafood seasoning for a slightly spicy favor).
Put the lobsters in the pot, cover... Cook for 8 minutes per the first pound and 3 minutes for each pound thereafter. When done, the lobsters will turn a bright orange/red color.
Voila, yummy cooked lobster. To serve, pull off the claws, little legs and antennae and slice the lobster in half lengthwise from its head to its tail. Serve the body and the claws with melted butter for dipping and lemon slices.
It doesn't get any better than fresh lobster like this. Super yum-oh!!! Can't wait to cook them again in the winter of 2013!
