Do we eat sea stars or sea cucumbers?

Hey folks, I'm shipped by my company to Hong Kong to work for a few months.  The other day I was walking around and came upon this district that sells dry sea products.  To my surprise, they eat many things I don't recall we eat.  Other than shark fin which everyone knows about, I saw:

1. Sea stars: What I saw are dried and looks very boney, reminds me of deer antler.

2. Sea cucumbers: I saw dried ones and fresh ones; dry ones looks pretty unapetitizing (looks like turd to me) but they are highly valued.

3. Fish air bladder: If my biology is adequate this is the white pocket above the guts and below the spine, which I always rip out and discard.

Does anyone eat these stuff?  I'm wondering if it's just me that don't know better...

Being Asian (Korean to be exact), I've consumed many interesting seafood from various cultures: live octopus, sea squirt, sea cucumbers, sea snails, jellyfish, etc

Haven't tried sea stars yet lol!

Daniel let me know when you wants some sea cucumber there the size of House cats in some places!

Will do Andy, but we gotta make sure we ID those ugly things to see if it's "edible" just like your monster shroom Shit even better, ya gotta take me with ya underwater ;D

A certain species of sea stars are editable but I haven't try them yet and here is why...

http://echinoblog.blogspot.com/2008/04/people-eating-starfish.html

Go to a chinese restaurant and order some sea cucumbers. It is the BOMB!!!

Preserved fish guts in chili sauce topped over rice is also the bomb.  If u think it's disgusting, you'll change your mind after u try some. 

Go to a chinese restaurant and order some sea cucumbers. It is the BOMB!!!

Preserved fish guts in chili sauce topped over rice is also the bomb.  If u think it's disgusting, you'll change your mind after u try some. 

I'm with you hamachijohn, I love sea cucumber.

I'm always willing to try something new. You never know if you'll like it if you don't taste it.

Sea Cucumber are GREAT! The entire body is edible and often done in Asian type preparations I have only had it a few times that way. So the more western palate the muscles on the inside taste very much like razor clam! Enjoy =)

sea cuke sashimi is one of my fav's...

I toss back sea cucumbers all the time....tips on keeping, cleaning and prep for eating please 

This guy says you can fry sea cucumbers;

On Man Woman Wild on Disc Channel, I saw Mike cut into a Sea Cuke's and pull out some read crap and eat it raw.  Made me barf a little in my throat.  I don't know if I've tried it in cold cut appetizers (like you see with Jellyfish).  If I have, I didn't like it much

Those muscles on the inside are REALLY good! It is easier to remove them if you dunk the sea cucumber in hot water for 5 seconds. Just like razor clams. Try it out! And yes they do make a mess when cutting the muscles out.