Top 10 Canned Abalones to get In Singapore

The Chinese New Year brings with it the craze for a lot of delicacies and somewhere close to the top of the list is abalone. Also known as bao yu in Chinese, it is popular chiefly because it also loosely translates into ‘being assured of prosperity’. While it is traditionally eaten as a symbol of prosperity and good luck, it has also found its way to being a key ingredient of many dishes.

These sea snails are strangely enough not native to Singapore but can be found only on the shores of a few seas around the world. The harvesting process which is very labour intensive is one of the things that contributes to the fairly high prices that they attract in the markets.

There are 3 types of Abalones obtainable on the market and they are

• Canned Abalone: The most popular choice for most people because they are already processed. There are two further types of canned abalone; the canned abalone in brine which has a lighter flavour and is great for soups and the canned abalone in sauce which is seasoned and can be consumed immediately, preferably with vegetables.
• Fresh Abalone: a cheaper alternative to canned abalones, they come in a similar range of various types. However, they taste a bit more like fish.
• Dry Abalone: due to the firm texture resulting from drying, they take the longest time to cook, taking up to several hours sometimes.

This list focuses on the best brands and types of canned abalones that can be found on the market: California Mexico Abalone

Popularly referred to as Calmex abalones, this brand has been around since 1957. They are the standard bearers in the Singaporean abalone industry. The Abalones are sourced from Baja California in Mexico and are deemed of superior quality to other abalones being firm to touch and the softest to bite.

The quantity is limited every year so, you have to pay attention to the market to enjoy these delightful treats. Every can holds between one and three pieces of abalone cooked and stored in brine without any artificial preservatives. A can of 454g can be bought for around $178.

1. New Moon Abalone Australia

The Australian version of New Moon’s Abalone are harvested from the rocky reefs of Tasmania. These abalones are popular for their sweet taste which makes them an excellent addition to very many dishes.

Like all of New Moon’s abalones, they are fat-free and trans-fat free making them a good choice for a nutritious meal. A can weighing around 425g can be obtained for around $49.80.

2. Fortune Baby Abalone

Fortune Baby Abalones are the obvious choice for anyone looking to have a large feast, especially during the CNY. The baby abalones can easily be distributed individually instead of regularly sized abalones that will require you to cut up before serving.

3. New Moon Abalone New Zealand

New Moon’s premium-grade New Zealand abalone is one of the most sought-after brands on the market because of the wonderful taste and affordable price. Judging from the name, you can easily identify that they are harvested from the waters of New Zealand where it gets all its nutritional value.

These Abalones contain proteins that provide essential amino acids which support the building and maintaining of body tissues. They are low in fat and trans-fat free making them even more nutritious. They are also very affordable as a 425g can goes for around $39.80

4. Dragon Horse Abalone (Australia)

Dragon horse’s Australian abalones are also harnessed from the waters of the newfound continent but what makes them truly special is the brown sauce in which they are stored. It gives the abalones a unique tasty flavour that appeals to most people’s palates.

A can of these special abalones is available for just $24.90 which makes it one of the most affordable choices on the market.

5. Codiva Sea King Abalone

Although more common in Malaysia, this canned abalone is slowly making its way into Singaporean markets. It is produced by Codiva, a 40-year-old Johor Bahru homegrown cannery that claims to produce the best abalone in Malaysia. Their Mexico sourced abalones have a pleasant firm and bouncy texture with a deep layered savoury flavour. They are available for around $150 per can.

6. Skylight Australian Superior Abalone

One can only agree with Skylight of their naming their Australian Abalone ‘superior’. The processing and of the abalones makes it one of the obvious choices among the numerous Australian Abalone options.

Skylight abalones are sourced from the best waters and are very nutritious. A can weighing 425g can be gotten for around $58.30 and can contain anywhere from one giant abalone to three. They also represent the best deal per dry weight among household abalone brands.

7. Emperor Australia Abalone

Also sourced from the reefs of Tasmania in Australia, these delicately processed wild abalones are popular for their taste and texture.

They are available in limited quantities and currently go for around $45 for a 425g gram with a dry weight of 140g.

8. Flying Wheel Braised Whole Abalone

This relatively new player in the abalone market has been taking it by storm because of its unrivalled combination of quality, quantity and price.  These premium quality abalones offer probably the best return for money for anyone on a budget.

Individual cans contain around 10 pieces of full-grown abalones symbolizing ten-fold fortune to usher in a new year and is available in braised broth. A can weighing 425g costs just about $82.80 which is an absolute discount when compared to other brands.

9. Golden Chef Chilean Baby Abalone Chile

Created by FairPrice over 10 years ago, Golden chef has consistently sourced high-quality abalones from all over the world and their Chilean variants are a good example of that. It has a great taste and high quality with a texture much similar to the popular Mexican abalones.

These premium abalones are available for the price of just $30.80 for a can that weighs 425g.