Shrimp

Ingredient Profile & Cooking Guide

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💡 Shimp is popular worldwide due to its unique sweet flavour, its firm and bouncy texture, and its veratility in various culinary styles.

1. Popular Types of Shrimp in CookingChoosing the right shrimp can significantly impact the texture and flavor of your dish:River Prawns: Known for their large heads and rich, creamy "head fat" (tomalley). They are best for grilling or making the famous Tom Yum Goong.White Prawns (Vannamei): The most common variety. They have a mild flavor and soft-yet-firm texture, making them perfect for stir-frying or adding to soups.Banana Prawns (Sea Prawns): Naturally sweet with a thin shell. They are highly prized for steaming or making "Shrimp Potted with Glass Noodles."Black Tiger Prawns: Large and visually striking with dark stripes. They have firm, meaty flesh that holds up well on the grill or in high-heat searing.2. Flavor and Texture ProfilesNatural Sweetness: Fresh shrimp contain amino acids like glycine, which provide a distinct, delicate sweetness.The "Snap": High-quality shrimp should have a firm, "snappy" bite. To maintain this, avoid overcooking, which turns the meat rubbery and dry.Visual Cues: Watch the shape! A perfectly cooked shrimp curves into a "C" shape. If it tightly curls into an "O" shape, it is likely overcooked.3. Preparation TechniquesDeveining: The dark "vein" along the back is actually the digestive tract. Removing it ensures a cleaner taste and better presentation.The Brining Secret: Soaking shrimp in a light brine (saltwater) or coating them briefly in cornstarch/egg white before rinsing can help lock in moisture and create a translucent, "crunchy" texture similar to Chinese dim sum.Odor Removal: Rinsing shrimp with a bit of salt or lemon juice helps remove any "fishy" odors, leaving only the fresh scent of the sea.4. Culinary Tips: Maximizing FlavorDon’t Waste the Shells: Shrimp shells and heads are packed with Umami. Sauté them in oil or simmer them in water to create a rich seafood stock or flavor-infused oil.High Heat, Short Time: Shrimp cook very quickly (usually within 2–3 minutes). It is often best to sear them quickly and remove them from the pan, adding them back only at the very end of the cooking process.Comparison Table: Quick ReferenceFeatureRiver PrawnWhite/Banana PrawnTiger PrawnTextureSoft & CreamyTender & SweetFirm & MeatyBest ForGrilling, Tom YumStir-fry, SteamingBBQ, SteaksKey HighlightHead Fat (Tomalley)VersatilitySize & TextureStorage Tip: Shrimp are highly perishable. Always keep them on ice or in the coldest part of your refrigerator. If the shells feel slimy or smell like ammonia, they are no longer fresh.

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