Fried shrimps with garlic and soy sauce are rightfully considered one of the most delicious hot snacks in the world. If you want to make a lasting impression on your guests, prepare this dish for the holiday. By the way, shrimp can be served even during non-strict fasting, when the range of acceptable dishes is narrowed, but you really want something tasty.
The combination of salted soy sauce and hot garlic came to us from Asia. National cuisines of China, Thailand, Korea and many other eastern countries are famous for a mixture of tastes. Therefore, in such a sauce one more component is often found - sweet honey. It complements not only taste but also structure. However, do not immediately take risks with gastronomic experiments. The time will come for them when the basic recipe is mastered perfectly.
The culinary value of shrimp
There are different recipes in culinary: shrimp dishes are popular all over the world. This is not surprising, because seafood is rich in light protein, trace elements and vitamins. Chefs respect shrimp and for their expressive decorative qualities. In addition, they look attractive. Shrimp-based dishes are easy to decorate. The taste of this component is peculiar, active, recognizable. It’s easy to find suitable additions to it.
How to choose a caliber?
Shrimp cooking is the case when size matters. In the language of professionals, it is called "caliber." Remember: the smaller the shrimp, the larger the numbers on their packaging. Simply put, the caliber makes it clear how many shrimp fit in one kilogram. The largest, royal, weigh an average of 100 grams each. Accordingly, they have a caliber of 10.
Shrimps of 90/120 and 60/90 caliber are most common in domestic supermarkets. They, of course, are much cheaper than royal ones. But their taste is quite pleasant. Anyone who has tried different calibers knows that fried shrimps with garlic and soy sauce are delicious anyway. It doesn’t matter if you buy the smallest or largest seafood - any kind allows you to use recipes. Large shrimp cooks longer. Small can be fried faster.
To clean or not?
Before you fry the shrimp in a pan, you probably thought about whether to remove the heads, legs and shells. It depends on the format of the event at which they will be presented. It’s possible to beautifully clean the whole shrimp, but not everyone can do it. If you are afraid to uncomfort one of the guests, do not take any chances - serve shrimp without chitin.
However, if you are planning not a solemn feast, but home gatherings with close friends, it makes sense to save the shells. They hold juices inside the carcass, the dish turns out more flavorful. In particular, this recommendation is relevant if you use medium-sized shrimp.
Fragrant Frying Oil
You can fill the dish with amazing tastes and smells using the oil in which it will be prepared. Before frying the shrimp in a pan, warm the olive oil by adding a few rings of ginger, 2 cloves of garlic crushed with a knife, a pinch of dried vegetables, a sprig of greens. When the oil begins to steam, remove these ingredients and load the seafood. They will incorporate all the best.
Preparation for cooking
First prepare the sauce. He needs to stand a little. Mix in a bowl 2 tbsp. l sugar and 150 ml of soy sauce. Mix thoroughly, add two chopped cloves of garlic, a spoonful of vegetable oil and seasoning. Leave at room temperature. This is enough to cook 500 g. Then it all depends on which shrimp you use. Fresh ones are unlikely to be bought, but they do not need preparation. Ice cream without glaze, pour over boiling water or hold in a double boiler for 40 seconds. Glazed shrimps blanch in boiling water for 1-2 minutes.
If you plan to clean them, gently tear off their heads, remove their paws and shells. Leave the tail fins with the extreme segment of the shell - it will be convenient to hold ready-made shrimps for them. In some breeds, the intestines on the lower surface of the tail are clearly visible. Be sure to remove it by pulling with your fingers or picking up with a knife. Everything is ready - you can proceed. We start cooking our fried shrimp with garlic and soy sauce.
The subtleties of the process
To prepare 500 g of shrimp, it is advisable to take a pan with a diameter of at least 30 cm. The fact is that this seafood needs to be fried, not stewed. Too high a layer will cause heat loss and moisture loss. Consequently, the shrimp will not fry in oil, but languish in their own juice. Therefore, we thoroughly heat the pan with aromatic oil and send shrimps there. Distribute them evenly on the surface, and we will not touch them for a couple of minutes. Immediately it is worth preparing the dishes, into which we will later send our prepared shrimps in soy sauce with garlic.
The recipe by which we made the sauce allows you to get a fairly thick and beautiful result. Add it to the pan when the shrimp is fried on both sides. Pour in the sauce and mix thoroughly. The dish will begin to boil actively. The sauce will melt right before your eyes. So it should be - it is distributed along the wavy surface of the backs of the shrimp, filling them with aroma. Put it out a couple more minutes without stopping stirring. Then reload into prepared dishes. Many shrimp recipes use fresh herbs for decorative purposes. It does not overshadow the taste of seafood, but emphasizes it, makes it even more interesting.
Serving dishes and etiquette
Fried king prawns in soy sauce - a gourmet dish. In the restaurant it is served in portions, on flat plates in the form of an independent dish. Eat this appetizer by hand. If the shrimp have tail fins, you can take it for them. For guests' convenience, small plates for shells and fins, as well as plates with lemon-flavored water, are served at the table. If thinly sliced lemons and not water are served with seafood, remember: they are not intended for food, but to wipe your fingers. The taste of citrus, by the way, does not harmonize well with seafood, drowning out its active aroma. As a rule, they are used for hygiene purposes. However, sour juice can be added to sauces in moderation.
The exception is completely peeled shrimp in sauce, served with pasta, a side dish of rice or vegetables. You need to eat them with ordinary cutlery, picking up on a fork with a small amount of side dish. A completely different matter is the relaxed atmosphere of friendly gatherings. Fried shrimps with garlic and soy sauce can be served in a common bowl, from which they are taken one at a time and eat. Feel free to clean them with your hands, folding the shells and heads into separate dishes.
Fried shrimp sauces
Even if the prawns were cooked in soy sauce, other suitable options are often served. The vast majority of oriental options are excellent for seafood: Thai, Japanese and Chinese. But the sauce for fried shrimp can be made independently, and not one.
Think about what will harmonize with your dish the most? Make one hot sauce, one tomato and one tender. The following ideas will help you in your choice:
- Horseradish sauce. It goes well with seafood. Grate a small spine and mix with a good sweet ketchup. If the taste doesn't seem interesting enough to you, add a couple of drops of balsamic. Cook this sauce before frying the shrimp in a pan. He must insist.
- Mix in equal parts mayonnaise and sour cream (150 ml each). Add a few drops of lemon and orange juice. Salt and sprinkle with finely chopped dill. This mixture will emphasize the taste of the main ingredient.
- Grate 200 g of cream cheese. Fry a large onion grated. Add cheese, mix and transfer to a saucepan. You can simply mix the cream cheese slightly warmed up in the microwave with a little greens and crushed garlic. Serve the shrimp cheese sauce hot.
Recommended alcohol
If you were attracted by a recipe for fried shrimp with sauce and you want to try it at the next holiday, think over the menu to the smallest detail. It is customary to serve seafood dishes with white wines - dry and semi-dry. For especially special occasions, light champagne is also suitable.
But fried shrimp is especially good with light and medium light beers. Cool the alcohol to 10-12 degrees, and serve the shrimp in a warm form. This great combination is perfect for any holiday with friends.