Just about Far Eastern shrimp: which is the most delicious?

home

Useful articles

22.10.2020 We talk about Far Eastern shrimp from the buyer’s point of view

.
What types are there, how do they taste different and what is worth trying first. Firstly, shrimp can be wild
, caught in the sea and ocean, and
aquaculture
- these are bred in special farm ponds on a specially selected diet.
All Far Eastern shrimp are wild cold-water
, that is, species that live in the cold northern seas and are considered the most environmentally friendly and tasty.
caught in the natural environment are
, of course, much
healthier and tastier than
their counterparts from warm-water captivity.
Wild shrimp fatten their meat in natural conditions, eating natural products, and therefore they contain more vitamins. By the way, it is precisely because of the meager diet of wild shrimp that the “vein” (aka stomach), as a rule, does not require removal, since, unlike its aquaculture counterparts, it does not feed so abundantly.
On the side of the latter is
size
; on a farm in Thailand, a shrimp

can grow up to
400 grams
in a year , while a wild Far Eastern shrimp takes as many as
4 years
to gain
ten times less
weight.
On the left is a wild northern shrimp, on the right is an aquaculture Vannamei shrimp.
Secondly, according to the method of processing, shrimp can be already cooked,
boiled-frozen
, which is boiled directly on the ship in sea water, and
raw frozen
, which are frozen fresh.
Boiled-frozen shrimp is a ready-to-eat product
that just needs to
be defrosted correctly
(in the refrigerator, gradually, and under no circumstances
thrown into boiling water
) - and can be eaten or added to different dishes.
Raw frozen shrimp is a much more complex, delicate seafood product, often intended for connoisseurs
.
After all, freshly frozen shrimp, after gradual defrosting, can be used to prepare the most proper and delicious sashimi, sushi
and other traditional Japanese seafood dishes
without heat treatment
.
Only raw-frozen shrimp can be baked on the grill
: boiled-frozen ones have already been cooked and from repeated heat treatment they will simply dry out and become like unappetizing rubber.
Botan is the largest Russian shrimp and a recognized delicacy.
But raw frozen shrimp require more gentle handling.
So, if boiled frozen shrimp are simply covered with a thin layer of glaze
to prevent moisture loss, then raw frozen shrimp must be packed in
a vacuum bag
, otherwise drying can have a detrimental effect on the consistency of their meat and taste.
By the way,
the cold-water fresh-frozen shrimp “Botan Ebi” and “Ama Ebi” differ from the
warm-water ones
not
in blue-green
, but in the rich
reddish
or pink
color of the shell
due to the peculiarities of their habitat and nutrition in the northern seas

Northern shrimp

Probably the most popular Far Eastern shrimp with dense, elastic and sweetish pinkish flesh. Size - from small (90/120 shrimps per 1 kg) to medium (70/90 or 50/70 pieces per 1 kg). In its raw frozen form, northern shrimp has the Japanese name “Ama Ebi” - and this is the best option for gourmets to eat shrimp without heat treatment, raw. Northern shrimp is ideal for sushi, sashimi and other traditional Japanese dishes with fresh shrimp meat.

Benefits and harms

This product is useful due to the content of many useful substances. Shrimp has long been considered a powerful aphrodisiac that increases libido in men and women. This is a low-calorie product, so it can be used for preparing dietary dishes. Shrimp contains many vitamins.

Thanks to regular consumption of shrimp, allergenic cells are eliminated, which reduces the risk of food allergies. This product contains many antioxidants that help destroy cancer cells when consumed regularly. Seafood will be harmful if consumed in excess, as well as if it was caught in bodies of water contaminated by radiation.

Botan crest shrimp

The largest shrimp in the Russian seas (the caliber is usually 30/40 pieces per 1 kg), it is considered a delicacy. The color of the shrimp is rich reddish, the sweetish meat is similar to crab. Just like northern shrimp, it can be eaten raw and is sold fresh-frozen along with boiled-frozen. Raw frozen scallop shrimp is great for grilling.

Peculiarities

The product is:

frozen and chilled;
purified and uncleaned;
in packages and by weight.

Shrimp are a perishable seafood product, so they are rarely sold chilled. They are usually frozen immediately after catching. If they are sold chilled, then it is probably a defrosted product. They must be consumed immediately after purchase, and cannot be frozen a second time. Bringing seafood to another country is almost impossible. Which shrimps are best to buy is described below.

Greenland shrimp

A very rare type of shrimp, called “Sea Dragon” for its specific appearance, with very tasty soft, slightly sweet meat. This shrimp is harvested only 4 weeks a year and therefore it is not always possible to find it on sale. The bright red and white color of the shell of a boiled shrimp will prevent it from being confused with others. The size of Greenland shrimp is usually medium (70/90 pieces per 1 kg).

“The shrimp should look cheerful and fresh.”

The chef of the Old Attic restaurant, Mikhail Galeev, talks about what kinds of shrimp there are, how to choose and store them correctly, and what can be prepared from them.

— Is there any classification of shrimp?

“There are three factors that play a role here: the salinity and temperature of the water and the size of the shrimp. So, there are freshwater and saltwater shrimp. Saltwater shrimps are divided into those who live in cold seas - athletic, lean, small in size, but very “pumped up” shrimp, and those who live in warm seas - and these are large, solid, well-fed shrimp. A shrimp is considered ordinary if its size is from 2.5 cm to 10 cm. If the shrimp is larger - 15, 20, 30 cm - then it receives the noble name of king shrimp. Thus, it becomes clear that king prawns are not found in cold seas. Meanwhile, it is generally accepted that it is in cold sea waters that seafood can gain maximum flavor. It is believed that the most delicious shrimp live in the northern seas of North America.

— How can you tell a small shrimp from a medium one?

- Well, in order not to walk around the store with a ruler, here’s a hint for you. If in 0.5 kg of shrimp you have 40-35 pieces, then this means that they are small, if 25-15 means they are medium, and if 10 then they are large. A few more words about coloring and the form in which they go on sale. Freshwater shrimp have a uniform color and are not striped, for example. They are meatier and always freshly frozen. Saltwater ones, on the contrary, are frozen both fresh and boiled. When fresh, they may be striped. In general, the color of an ordinary fresh shrimp varies from bluish-gray to greenish-gray, but there are orange, bright red, and brown-pink shrimp.

— Do fresh-frozen foods have any signs of freshness?

- They should look good - fresh and cheerful. And they should smell only a little of the sea and nothing else. A good shrimp is elastic, tight, like a well-stuffed sausage. Black spots and black rings on the legs mean the shrimp is old or spoiled. If you put such a shrimp in a frying pan, it will fall apart into mush. If the shrimp has yellow spots or bumps, it means they tried to get rid of the black spots with a chemical solution. If there are dry white spots on the shrimp, it means it is frozen.

- So many nuances!

— Any product is full of such nuances. You just need to know about it. But suppose we bought shrimp and brought them home. If these are boiled frozen shrimp, then these are shrimp in a block, about fifty pieces, frozen together. I don’t recommend taking individual shrimp (each with an ice glaze), and especially small ones. Those that are frozen together are less damaged by frost. Still, I personally recommend taking fresh frozen shrimp. They need to be defrosted gradually - first in the refrigerator, then at room temperature. This way we will preserve the maximum amount of nutrients.

- Are there many of them?

— Decent — mineral salts, proteins, non-fatty acids, zinc, potassium. The only drawback is that shrimp contain cholesterol. Therefore, eating them daily is not recommended.

— How to properly clean shrimp?

- Having defrosted, once again inspect the shrimp from all sides - it should be as if transparent. But it’s still too early to clean. It is better to cook unpeeled shrimp, because in this case there is no direct contact between the shrimp meat and the frying surface.

- Then tell me the recipe.

- Please. One final tip regarding boiled frozen shrimp. For some reason, many people believe that they must be cooked for a long time. This is of no use - in boiling water they will lose the last shade of taste that they still have left. They are easy enough to warm up. In general, shrimp can be boiled, fried, or stewed. One of the classic recipes is seafood bisque, in which shrimp, along with crayfish, lobsters and other crustaceans and mollusks play an important role. Bake the seafood, then fry it thoroughly in a pan with carrots, celery and onions with tomato paste. Flambue with cognac, add fish broth. Boil by a third and then puree in a blender. Just make sure that the blender must be special and durable - otherwise you can damage the knives with chitinous shells. Strain through a fine sieve, rub, bring to a boil, add cream. You can add cayenne or chili pepper to taste. Serve with white bread toast. But this dish is, of course, good if you have time.

- What if he’s not there?

- Then we do this. Heat a frying pan and fry the shrimp in vegetable oil. Salt, pepper and squeeze out one clove of garlic. Immediately pour in white wine, it instantly evaporates. Throw in a few leaves of curly parsley, turn off the heat and cover with a lid. In three or four minutes we eat the most delicious shrimp you can imagine.

- Still, you need to clean them first...

- Oh yes! Well, it's not difficult at all. We pull the head and it remains in our hands. Then, one by one, in a circular motion, we remove the chitinous links of the shell. For beauty, you can leave a ponytail.

Interviewed by Nadezhda SUKHOVA

Black Diamond Riley Shrimp

Black diamond is a selective morph of the Neocaridina shrimp. The Black Diamond looks a little like the Black Crystal shrimp, with the difference that Riley has a brightly black head and tail, and the abdomen is transparent and practically without stripes. Black Diamond is a fairly easy shrimp to keep and can be recommended to beginner aquarists. They reproduce successfully in the aquarium, however, without adding “new blood”, the color of the offspring may be lost over time.

conclusions

If we draw conclusions based on the comparison, it becomes clear that there are differences between king and tiger prawns. In the case of tiger shrimps, we can say that this species is officially recognized by science (it belongs to the decapod crayfish). Marine inhabitants can live not only in their natural environment, but also in artificial reservoirs of industrial farms. It is tiger shrimp that are the largest among all known species. The length from head to tail reaches 36 cm. The color of the shell is inconspicuous gray, but the characteristic black stripes attract attention. Heat-treated meat is tender and juicy. The cooking process is short - just 3 minutes is enough. After the cooking process, the shell does not change color, but becomes a shade paler. In the case of king prawns, we can say that there was no scientific recognition of them as an independent species. This name hides representatives of different species, which are united only by their large sizes. They can only be bred in fish farms. The body structure is disproportionate - the head is larger than the tail. The color of the shell varies and depends on the species. After cooking it takes on a red tint. The heat treatment process takes 10 minutes.

Choice

What kind of shrimp is best to buy? When choosing, it is important to pay attention to the appearance of the product, freshness, as well as the information indicated on the packaging. It is sold in containers and bags. Selling by weight often occurs. In any case, it is necessary to find out information about the expiration date.

What kind of shrimp should I buy? The following nuances must be taken into account:

High-quality and fresh seafood has a tucked tail and uniform coloring.
Packaging with shrimp must contain numbers in the format 100/120, 80/100 (these codes indicate the number of shrimp in the package, for example, from 100 to 120 or from 80 to 100).
Individuals should not stick together (there should be no ice or snow).
A green head is not considered a sign of spoilage (many types of seafood have this feature).
If individuals have a brown head, then this is considered a sign of the presence of caviar (in terms of nutritional properties, seafood is considered the healthiest).
Size usually indicates species rather than age (small ones reach 2 cm, and large ones reach 30 cm).
It is believed that seafood caught in cold waters is tasty and juicy.
The color of individuals should be rich, not pale (color can vary depending on the species).
The packaging must contain full information about the manufacturer, including address, telephone, email.

These are all important nuances that answer the question of which shrimp are the best. A high-quality product will be tasty and very healthy. Which shrimp are better - peeled or not? According to experts, the second option is the best.

Nuances

When frozen, shrimp are covered with a protective shell and glaze. This is considered normal: in its absence, the product will lose its natural internal moisture and will be dry. Thanks to the ice shell, the shrimp are protected from contact with oxygen. This prevents the meat from oxidizing, leading to a “metallic” taste. Up to 7% ice glaze is allowed.

Ice glazing is divided into individual shock and block glazing. The difference is that in the first case, each individual is covered with a crust separately, and in the second, the products are placed in an aluminum tray, then filled with water, frozen in the freezer and packaged in cardboard boxes.

What should you not choose?

But there are products that you should not choose:

Old seafood can be distinguished by its dry shell and yellow stains on the body (such products have a hard consistency).
Black spots on the shell indicate the “advanced” age of the shrimp (darkening is clearly visible on the legs).
There should be no ice or snow in the bag, as these signs confirm repeated freezing of the food.
If shrimp have black heads, then they are infected with diseases and should not be eaten.
If the tail is straight, then this indicates that the individual has been frozen dead; such a product cannot be eaten.
You should not choose products if the individuals differ greatly in size. In this way, expensive seafood can be diluted with cheap varieties.
Be careful when choosing shrimp in red plastic bags. This color reliably sets off changes in the color of the shrimp due to inappropriate storage, so such packaging must be examined more carefully.
Seafood becomes pale pink due to violation of storage rules. Color changes with repeated temperature changes.

Which shrimp is better to buy - peeled or not? Experts advise giving preference to unrefined seafood. After cooking, such products will taste better. In addition, chemical compounds can be used for cleaning. It is better to buy packaged seafood. It contains complete information that is quite difficult to obtain from the seller.

Which shrimp are better preserved - boiled or raw? It is advisable to choose fresh-frozen types, as they contain more valuable components. Before cooking, they must be gradually defrosted and first moved from the freezer to the general compartment of the refrigerator.