Why is it worth eating shrimps?
Good quality shrimps are a great source of easily digestible protein. In 100 g of peeled prawns we find (depending on the species) from 17 to 22 g of protein. It's more or less as much as chicken meat. They do not contain virtually no fat, therefore their calorific value does not exceed 100 kcal per 100 g of product. You can even go on a low-calorie diet. In addition, the shrimps are a great vitamin B12. Shrimps also contain quite a lot of zinc, magnesium and calcium. 100 g of raw shrimps cover 10% of the daily demand for zinc and magnesium. Although the shrimps contain quite a lot of cholesterol, we should not exclude them from the diet. Prepared with the addition of garlic, raw olive oil and parsley, the dish based on shrimps has more benefits than disadvantages in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. It is definitely worth including fish and seafood as an alternative source of protein in the diet of each of us.
How to choose a good shrimp? What to look for?
Buy only unfrozen, fresh, unpeeled shrimp available in 15 different calibers. But if you do not have that option, frozen shrimps are not bad. Peeled are also ok - especially if we are not masters in removing the armor, it is worth choosing the option for the lazy. I recommend the shrimp with the left tail, because when cooking this tail very, but it very much changes the taste of the dish. But do not buy shrimps that have been cooked before processing. Shrimps should be (depending on the species) light or dark pink, gray or almost white. When buying frozen prawns, pay special attention to the amount of glaze - it should be as little as possible, because only in this case it is possible to assess the appearance of the shrimp meat and shell.
Thawing shrimps is best done slowly, without using water. After thawing, crustaceans should have a physiological color, fresh sea fragrance and a compact texture. If we bought unpeeled, the armor should be shiny, undamaged. It must not stick to meat under any circumstances. It is very important to remove the black line running along the ridge of the shrimp and thoroughly clean the cleaned shellfish. Now you can start cooking! Wash the armor thoroughly under running water and prepare a fish broth from them - it will have a really rich taste.
What do you need to remember when preparing shrimp from the pan?
Firstly, the shrimps are very delicate and are fried for a short time. The length of frying depends on the caliber and as you probably guessed - the larger the shrimp, the longer the processing requires. However, this is a time short enough that we should have a great feeling to turn it over at the right time. I always do it when 1/3 of the shrimp's thickness is cut down. It lasts no more than 1.5 minutes. If you fry, the shrimp will be unappetizingly pulled too short, and if too long, it will be dry and not firm enough.
What to fry on?
As I said, the process of shrimp thermal processing is very short, so there is no problem with the selection of fat, because in fact most of the oils can not produce harmful substances. In my kitchen I use almost exclusively unrefined oils. For shrimps, I use coconut oil (to those of an Asian character) and olive oil (to those in the French or Mediterranean style). I like classics, that's why I add butter to French prawns with parsley and garlic. Of course, a small amount and only after removing the pan from the fire. Butter only dissolves and absolutely no harmful compounds are produced.
What about alcohol?
50 ml of dry white wine added to a pan full of shrimp can work wonders. The alcohol will evaporate, the extra calories will be practically not, and the taste will become really deep. Of course, this is not a necessity, but from the point of view of French cuisine I think it is worth it.
Classic French style prawns
Ingredients [2 servings]
- 250 g royal prawns with petioles
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- parsley
- a few slices of chili pepper
- optional: 50 ml of dry white wine
- 20 g butter
- salt and pepper
Preparation
Clean the prawns, wash and dry with a paper towel. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the chili. Arrange the shrimps and fry on one side until they come to 1/3 of the thickness. Turn it over and add the garlic slices right away. When the shrimps are almost completely cut, add wine (or skip this step), wait until it evaporates. We take off the heat and add cold butter, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the whole with parsley.
Thai shrimps on coconut milk
Ingredients [2 servings]
- 250 g of peeled king prawns
- a flat spoon of unrefined coconut oil
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 cm chili
- 100 ml full fat coconut milk
- spoon of yellow curry paste or curcuma, ginger and lemon grass (preferably fresh, but can also be dried)
- 1/2 green peppers
- a handful of fresh coriander
- sea or Himalayan salt
- 1/2 limes
- optional: white or black sesame
Preparation
Heat the coconut oil in the pan. We add spices (except salt) and roast for a moment. Then add the peppers, cut into small strips, and fry for another 2 minutes. Throw the shrimp and fry on both sides until they are full. Immediately pour in coconut milk and cook for 2-3 minutes. Salty and sprinkle with lime juice. Serve with a large amount of fresh coriander and a bit of sesame.
Shrimps in sweet and sour sauce with peaches and Thai basil
Ingredients [2 servings]
- 250 g royal prawns with petioles
- 1 tablespoon of unrefined coconut oil
- 1 large peach or 1/2 mango
- 1 flat teaspoon of coconut or cane sugar
- 1/2 lime juice
- 1 cm chili pepper
- 1 cm of fresh ginger
- a handful of Thai basil leaves
- Himalayan salt
Preparation
Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the ginger along with the chili. We add peeled, finely chopped or blended fruits and sugar. Stew until they fall apart. We put the washed and dried shrimps in the sauce. Stink on both sides until they break. We sprinkle liberally with lime juice and slightly salt. Serve with fresh Thai basil leaves and a piece of lime.