A thick, plump mantle with a firm springy bite and a clean, faintly sweet finish. Caught off the Zhoushan coast and frozen on board, so it has not been soaked in water to bulk up the weight.

What you get

• Whole cleaned bodies, 2 kg net weight per box
• Roughly 3–4 pieces per box, about 650–700 g each
• Innards and cuttlebone removed, ink sac intact
• No water injection, so the stated weight is the weight you cook

Where it comes from

Wild-harvested from the Zhoushan fishing grounds and flash frozen at sea, then hand graded on landing for even size.

How to cook

• Score the mantle, then braise in soy, star anise and rock sugar until glossy
• Slice thin and stir-fry hard with chilli, garlic and spring onion
• Cut into rings, dust in cornflour and deep-fry for a crisp shell
• Simmer in a spiced hot pot broth for the last four minutes

Condition and storage

• Ships and stores frozen at −18 °C or colder
• Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, never on the counter top
• Cook within 24 hours of thawing and never refreeze a thawed pack

Shelf life and delivery

• Best before: 9 months from the production date printed on the pack
• Packed in an insulated liner with gel packs and sent on a cold chain
• Move the box straight to the freezer on arrival

Allergens

Contains shellfish (molluscs).