King prawns not so long ago ceased to be a delicacy accessible only to the privileged sections of society, but, of course, add sophistication and chic to any table! Today they can be bought at every supermarket, and for cooking, the simplest ingredients that will always be in the refrigerator of any housewife are suitable. Of course, there are tricks, but about everything in order.
Shrimp Culinary Biography
Since shrimp are found in all the seas of the world, and some species even in fresh water, they first began to eat them simultaneously in many parts of the world more than 2000 years ago. By the way, even in ancient Greece, fried king prawns preferred other types of cooking.
Today, these arthropods are included in the recipes of national dishes of the countries of each continent. But, for example, in Judaism and radical Islam, their use in food is prohibited. In Russia, the Far East is considered a "shrimp mecca", where they have been hunted since its development.
Interestingly, king prawns are not a species name. They are distinguished in a separate variety on the basis of size, thus, all large individuals are included here, regardless of habitat. Unlike ordinary small shrimp, king shrimps have richer flavor characteristics.
The benefits and harms of shrimp
The fact that shrimp is a nutritious protein and low-calorie product is no secret to anyone. The vitamin-mineral complex contained in this type of seafood affects: calcium, iodine, calcium, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, a full line of fat-soluble vitamins - K, A, E, D, etc.
Thus, eating shrimp is directly indicated for people who have problems with being overweight, the thyroid gland, the cardiovascular, nervous, immune and muscle systems.
However, it should be borne in mind that the method of preparation significantly affects the beneficial properties and calorie content of the product. So, frying, of course, is least related to the principles of proper nutrition.
It would be cunning not to mention the potential dangers of shrimp. The fact is that, like all inhabitants of the sea, arthropods accumulate heavy metals in their bodies, in particular, dangerous arsenic poison, so shrimps can only be purchased in proven places.
It is also worth remembering the contraindications of eating these seafood: they are not recommended for pregnant women and young children, since the protein product is quite difficult to digest. Caution should also be exercised by older people, as well as those suffering from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
How to choose shrimp?
In order not to get into an unpleasant situation due to the purchase of low-quality goods, follow simple tips:
- Inspect the package: it must be airtight, and also contain complete information about the manufacturer and place of extraction of the product.
- Pay attention to the shrimp themselves: they should be whole, with a bend in the abdomen. The color should be uniform, but darkening of the carapace near the head is allowed - such a product will get a beautiful pink color after cooking, and the meat will be juicy and dense!
- Remember that the only acceptable shrimp companion in the package is ice, but too thick ice crust and snow are signs of repeated freezing, it is better to refuse such a product. By the way, according to GOST, fragments of antennae and tails should not occupy more than 5% of the packaging volume!
- Smell the product - a characteristic marine smell makes its way through any packaging, because it is quite sharp, but in no case should it be unpleasant!
King Fried Shrimp Recipe
This delicious dish is very popular because its preparation does not require much time. There are a huge number of variations of the accompanying ingredients, but we will start with the classic simple recipe, for which we need half a kilogram of shrimp, 3-4 tablespoons of soy sauce, 5-6 cloves of garlic, juice of half a lemon, vegetable oil for frying and spices to taste. The first step is to lightly pass the coarsely chopped garlic, then add the shrimp and other ingredients previously scalded with boiling water. After 5-7 minutes, the sauce will thicken, which will mean the readiness of the dish!
In some recipes, king prawns require soaking in a marinade. We give a similar recipe: it is necessary to combine olive oil and lemon juice in a ratio of 1 to 3, finely chopped onion and a few leaves of basil, season and peel the shrimps in this substance for 30 minutes. Then fry them with fresh or frozen spinach and serve with a side dish, for example, fresh vegetables or wild rice.
In the Caribbean countries, crispy fried king prawns in batter are a favorite dish, and the sharper they are, the tastier the product is!
For cooking you will need: 500 g of shrimp, 3 eggs, 80 g of flour, one and a half cups of large bread crumbs, roasting oil and spices to taste.
First you need to beat the eggs to form a white foam. In another bowl, mix the flour and spices, place the peeled shrimp there and shake them properly so that they are completely covered with the mixture. Then dip each shrimp in an egg and roll on both sides in breadcrumbs. It is better to cook this dish in deep fat or in a pan with a lot of hot oil, in which you need to fry the shrimp until cooked for literally 2 minutes. Serving such a dish is best with spicy sauce.
The secrets of cooking fried king prawns
Here are a few secrets thanks to which your dish will become a culinary masterpiece and will break the ovation of even the most demanding gourmets!
- One of the most common mistakes of housewives is that they cook frozen shrimp. If you want to achieve the best quality of the dish, seafood should first be thawed, washed and dried!
- If you want to cook fried king prawns in shell, then to avoid embarrassment among guests due to difficulties in cleaning, add 50 g of chicken broth to seafood when frying!
- Mediterranean herbs are great companions for seafood. So, if you add a sprig of rosemary and a pinch of oregano to the king prawns fried with garlic, the taste buds of your guests will be delighted!
- Frying is not a very useful type of heat treatment, especially since king prawns require a large amount of oil. To prevent the seafood from oozing fat after cooking, put them in a thin layer on a paper towel and wait just 10 minutes - the excess of carcinogenic liquid is absorbed.
- Not only bread crumbs, but sesame, starch and even coconut flakes are perfect as a batter!
The most famous chefs in the world believe that one of the main culinary secrets is not to be afraid to experiment, but only if you are familiar with the basic principles of preparing this or that product. So after reading our article, you can definitely try yourself as a Faraday in the world of cooking!