How to Prepare UNI

You’ll need gloves, a towel, kitchen shears, and a teaspoon. With gloves on, turn the sea urchin upside down to expose the mouth. 1. Holding it in a towel for stability, pierce a hole near the perimeter of the shell with the shears. Cut a 3-inch (7.5-cm) circle in the shell. 2. Using the spoon, lift up the circle and discard it along with the star-shaped chewing organ known as Aristotle’s lantern. Pour out all the liquid and “black stuff,” which is partially digested food such as seaweed and other organic matter. 3. Carefully scoop out the orange-colored corals (the uni). Gently rinse them in a bowl of ice water and, with your fingers, remove any “black stuff” still clinging to the corals (uni). The ice water also helps to firm them up.