Fill pot with water to the half-way point. 
Add salt, and a few slices of ginger, if using. 
Heat pot over high flame to boil.
Give the fresh sea cucumbers an extra scrub and rinse, inspecting them inside and out to make sure they do not have any grit or remaining entrails. 
Once water is boiling, add sea cucumbers and wait for it to reach a boil again. 
Turn heat down to a simmer immediately (or the contents may boil over). 

After 30-45 minutes of simmering, sea cucumbers shrink and become dense and bouncy in texture. 

Remove from heat and use tongs to transfer sea cucumbers to a bowl to cool.

Discard liquid. 

Sea cucumbers are now ready to use immediately in a dish, or freeze and store.

Note: If you prefer extremely tender sea cucumber, you may perform a second step of braising for at least an hour, or pressure cooking for 30 minutes. 

Recipe by commercial diver Captain David "Elmo" Stephens

Photo courtesy of Jake Stein  

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