Why do people make such a big deal about shark fin soup, why not just make shark soup? Is there such a big difference between the fin and the rest of the shark?
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Sharks are full of urea. If you’ve ever been in the bath too long you’ve seen your fingers prune up. This is because being in a large body of water actually sucks out the water in your body. This process happens much quicker in salt water. To prevent this, sharks fill their muscles and blood with urea. This prevents the water from being sucked out of their bodies, but it also makes the flesh smell and taste like urine.
The only part of the shark that is even remotely appetizing is the fin. This part is almost all fat, which doesn’t need as much urea to prevent losing water. The fin doesn’t taste good either, it’s pretty tasteless, but it’s the only part that you can put in soup without ruining the dish.
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