I didn’t always know how to cook shrimp. When I first tasted shrimp I truly thought it was disgusting. It was served to me cold and slick and tasting like the smell of seawater. I couldn’t even tell if it was raw or cooked, and I decided that I positively hated shrimp. Sometimes I would get a free bag of them as a supermarket promotion. I knew how to get rid of them quickly: my uncle was more than happy to have the delicacies!
The second time I had it, it was actually cooked. I was in a store where they were promoting their product, and people could get a bite of shrimp fried in butter. It smelled just like chicken and thus very welcoming! I had a little bit and instantly loved it. Since then I’ve been looking for various ways to cook shrimp so that it resembles chicken, and I always eat it while it’s hot. Here are a few of my successful experiments:
- Oil-Free “Fried” Shrimp
For this you’ll need a thick-bottom stainless steel pan with a lid. Heat the pan until little drops of water turn to tiny beads rolling on the hot surface. Put the shrimp in the pan, one by one, immediately pressing down on them with a fork. Now they’ll form a thin crust, which will prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Leave on medium heat for a few minutes, with the lid on, then turn. They should be ready in less than 10 minutes. Now you can use them with your favorite recipe. They’re healthier this way because no oil has been used.
- Shrimp Fried In Butter
I’ve read a handful of articles on whether or not butter is good for you. I believe that as with all foods, if it’s natural and eaten in moderation, it shouldn’t be a problem. So that I indulge in eating butter and cooking with it about once or twice a month. I heat the butter in a pan and drop the shrimp into it, cooking on low heat until they turn a rosy-brown. I then use them in pasta dishes.
- Cook Shrimp Together With Bacon
I actually don’t like bacon, but when used like this it will tone down the hints of “sea” in the shrimp. The proportion is roughly a few slices of bacon for a pound of shrimp. I fry them together (in coconut oil) but I remove the bacon afterwards. That’s just my personal taste though, you can go on and use them together in your recipe.
- Cook Shrimp With Honey And Soy Sauce
Honey will give it a slightly sweet tone – I use no more than a tablespoon of honey for a pound of shrimp. For a more intense flavor, I add 1 to 2 tbsp of soy sauce as well, and cook them until they turn dark brown. They’ll be essentially caramelized, and will go well with steamed veggies on the side.
- Grilled Shrimp
I have a cast iron grill pan, which is amazing for grilled meats and vegetables, kebabs, and the like. I poke the shrimp through with a skewer and season them with salt and white pepper for a milder taste. Then I grill them in the pan with the lid on for about 15 min. They’re great with black rice on the side.
I’ve never tried to cook shrimp by boiling them, I’m afraid they’ll have a heavy sea-like taste (I don’t usually boil any kind of meat). Have any of you tried that? What does it taste like?