In fact, black stingray is a stingray, often called starfish, a species with a different body shape and looks strange than the stingray you often see. This is a specialty of Tien Giang and has many characteristics to identify black stingray: blacker than normal stingray, with white dots on the back and a shape similar to stingray, smooth meat and less fishy smell than stingray.
In general, in terms of common characteristics, the stingray family has a flat body and cartilage bones, from head to body, the belly is round like a fan, the tail is long like a fan handle.
There are many types of stingray: turmeric stingray, electric stingray, bat stingray..., but the most delicious is dried black stingray (also known as black stingray or star stingray).
Why is star stingray (black stingray) so expensive?
About rarity: Star stingray is a very rare fish, it is very rare to catch this fish, even rarer according to the weight of about 1 - 2kg, because this size is used to make dried black stingray type 1, priced from 2.2 million - 3.1 million / kg, smaller can be priced from 900 thousand.
About deliciousness: Star stingray weighing 1-2kg is type 1 because the meat of this size fish is very soft and fragrant, without fibers.
What delicious dishes can be made from dried black stingray (star stingray)?
Grilled black stingray with tamarind fish sauce.
Dried water mixed with mango salad and Vietnamese coriander.
Black stingray cooked in sour soup, cooked with bamboo shoots.
Deep fried, fried with fish sauce.
But the best is fresh black stingray steamed with rice paper with the star stingray's own liver dipping sauce.