How long to cook fresh large shrimp. Milk and vegetable soup with shrimp. King prawns in batter

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Sometimes the body needs something light, unusual, fresh. Especially when the thermometer outside the window in the shade goes over plus 35, and the air conditioner is already struggling to cope. Seafood is especially desirable in such heat. And shrimp even more so. Here you have protein, microelements and a refined taste.

How long to cook shrimp? This question should interest a good housewife who wants to please her family with delicious food and not spoil the dish. But, before moving on to a direct answer to the question, we’ll tell you a little about what kind of shrimp we have in our stores.

What types of shrimp are there?

Shrimp are crustaceans from the order Decapods. They are widespread in the seas of the whole world. In total, there are about two thousand species in nature. Their meat is rich in calcium and protein. Although it is high in cholesterol, it has almost no polyunsaturated fat, so it will not cause high blood cholesterol levels.

Depending on their size, shrimp are small, about 2 centimeters, and there are simply giant shrimp.

According to their habitat they are divided into:

• cold water,
• and warm water.

The latter are the largest in size. They are called royal ones and reach 20 centimeters in size.

Tigers also live there, in warm waters. These heroes are generally 30 cm in length. The name “warm water” already indicates that their habitat is warm seas.

They are imported from:

• Latin America,
• Thailand,
• Indonesia,
• Ecuador,
• China.

South Asian shrimp do not have a very good reputation due to the possible content of antibiotics in them, which they receive from food, and therefore such crustaceans are not of very good quality.

Latin American ones are considered to be of higher quality, since the farms where they are bred have rather high requirements. If a farmer tried to push a low-quality product onto the market, then his business could end there.

Cold-water animals live in the seas:

• Norway,
• Canada,
• Denmark,
• in Baltic waters,
• Greenland.

It is cold-water shrimp that can most often be found on the shelves of our supermarkets. They are superior to warm-water ones in taste and nutritional quality, and moreover, they are somewhat cheaper.

How long should you cook each of these types? We will talk about this a little later, but now a little about the form in which they can be found on supermarket shelves.

Frozen shrimp

These are shrimp that have been quickly frozen. This method of freezing is also called shock freezing. Such shrimp retain freshness and all the original properties of the product for a long time. As a rule, they have already been boiled before freezing. When we buy them packaged or loose by weight, then the need for cooking is more a matter of insurance against any intestinal problems than an urgent need.

Unpeeled shrimp

These are shell-on shrimp. They have an expressive taste, a pleasant aroma and are very juicy. Unpeeled shrimp heads and shells can be used to make sauces and broths.

Now we have come to the main topic of our article, now we will talk about cooking time.

How long to cook

Shrimp meat is a protein product, and to cook protein, for example, egg protein, you need very little time. Therefore, you cannot cook it for a long time. The meat will become like rubber. Anyone who has digested squid knows. Same thing with shrimp.

How long does it take to cook shrimp? Just a little. It's not even called cooking. Their meat is tenderness itself. Therefore, in some recipes they simply pour boiling water over them for a few minutes. The main thing is not to overdo it.

You can do this: put the shrimp in a sieve and pour boiling water over them, taste the taste and heat, if necessary, pour over them again once or twice.

How long to cook king prawns and how

The amount of boiling water should be small. Add the shrimp after the water boils and cook for five minutes. These are not frozen. If frozen, then 10 minutes after boiling.

How long to cook unpeeled shrimp

Add salt to boiling water and cook for no more than five minutes, then let cool and peel.

How long to cook frozen shrimp

Pour boiling water, add salt, cook for 5-10 minutes after boiling. This is the simplest way. But even this allows you to feel all the self-sufficiency of this product.

What are the different ways to cook shrimp?

Boiling is a simple and therefore the most common cooking method. The main trick when cooking store-bought shrimp practically comes down to their quick defrosting, but there are still some subtleties.

Cooking method - first, with video

Ingredients:

• raw shrimp, peeled, medium size - 0.5 kg;
• salt - 2 tbsp. spoons;
• water - 2 liters;
• lemon juice - 1.5 tbsp. spoons;
• olive oil - 2 tbsp. spoons;
• sugar - 0.5 teaspoon;
• black pepper;
• cooking time - 2+1.5=3.5 minutes.

Prepare like this:

1. Bring 1.5 liters of salted water to a boil, reduce heat to minimum and add shrimp.
2. After 2 min. turn off the fire. Let the shrimp sit for another 1.5 minutes. (large shrimp need 1 minute more).
3. Drain the water and place the shrimp in a sieve.
4. Prepare the lemon sauce from the video.
5. Pour the sauce over the shrimp and add salt to taste.
6. Let it brew for 10-15 minutes.

Cooking method - second

1. Before cooking, rinse the shrimp with cold water under the tap in a colander. This way you will rid the product of excess ice and possible contamination. You never know where he visited before he was frozen.
2. After rinsing, put a saucepan on the fire large enough to fit the shrimp and water to cover them. They should float freely.
3. Add salt to the water and bring to a boil. It is advisable to take more water.
4. Don't forget about spices. They should always be added when the water has boiled. You can add lemon juice by cutting the fruit in half and simply squeezing it directly into the boiling water with your hands.
5. Now the shrimp are poured in.

How long does cooking take:

• 3 minutes, if cooked-frozen,
• and 7-10 if fresh frozen.

Their size must be taken into account. The cooking time is directly proportional to the size: the larger, the longer. It's ready when the shell has become a little transparent and the shrimp begins to float.

When the shrimp are ready, place them in a colander. Place in a deep bowl and pour over lemon juice. Add vegetable oil. Mix carefully and, placing on a wide dish, serve.

For spice lovers, it is suggested to add to boiling water:

• cloves,
• black and allspice peas,
• bay leaf,
• garlic (no need to peel, just separate the head into cloves),
• paprika powder.

Cooking method - third

Another way is to boil the shrimp in beer if you are a beer drinker. Beer along with shrimp is added to boiling water. For a kilogram of shrimp, approximately two glasses of beer (0.5 l). Boil for 5 minutes, discard in a colander.

King prawns have a richer aroma and taste, excellent nutritional properties and, of course, larger sizes compared to regular shrimp. This is an excellent option for combining dietary properties, easily digestible protein, nutritional value, and essential amino acids in one product.

As a rule, frozen king prawns are available for sale in retail chains in our region. Let's figure out what we should do next with them after purchasing, how much and how to properly cook frozen king prawns, and also reveal a few secrets of their preparation.

How to properly cook unpeeled frozen king prawns?

First of all, defrost the shrimp at room temperature or under running cold water. Then pour water into any pan at the rate of four liters per kilogram of shrimp, heat it to a boil and add two tablespoons of salt to this amount. Now immerse the unpeeled frozen king prawns in boiling water, wait until it boils again, and cook for six to seven minutes. Place the shrimp in a colander and rinse with cold water. Such a shock procedure will make it easy to clear them of their shells for further use.

Note that this cooking process is intended for raw shrimp. They are gray in color, both fresh and frozen. If you purchased unpeeled pink shrimp, this means that they were already boiled before freezing and therefore require less cooking time. All you have to do is keep these pre-thawed shrimp in boiling water for one minute, and they are ready.

How to properly cook peeled frozen king prawns?

If the frozen king prawns you purchased are already peeled, they were most likely boiled before freezing and are pink in color. To prepare, first defrost them at room temperature, placing them in a colander placed on any container to collect liquid. You should not immediately immerse them in hot water, as there is a high risk of losing the taste of the finished dish. For the same reason, it is not recommended to use a microwave oven for defrosting.

Pour water into a saucepan in a volume twice the volume of the shrimp that need to be boiled, heat to a boil, add salt at the rate of 30 grams of salt per liter of water and immerse our already defrosted, peeled king prawns there for one to two minutes, depending on the the size of the mollusks. It is more convenient to do this in the same colander in which they were defrosted, so choose a cooking pan of the appropriate size.

When cooking any shrimp, both peeled and in the shell, it is important not to overcook them in boiling water, since after prolonged heat treatment they become hard (rubbery).

If you like the natural taste of shrimp, then you should not add spices to the water when cooking. Although, if necessary, and if desired, you can season the water with a bunch of dill, allspice or black peppercorns, bay leaves, as well as a wide variety of spices and herbs. It all depends on your taste preferences and, possibly, on the requirements of the recipe for further use of boiled shrimp.

Well, the king prawns have been purchased, defrosted and properly boiled. All that remains is to decide on the method of their further use. Namely, add shrimp to, or enjoy their wonderful natural taste by preparing some original sauce for them.

Naturally, with all the variety of choices, you want to be sure of the quality of the product, because such arthropods are used in salads, soups, and creams. The main problem when cooking is how to cook frozen shrimp so that they do not remain raw or become rubbery.

Before you start buying a delicacy, you should get to know it better. By navigating among the inscriptions on the packages and special markings, it will be easier to make the right choice to buy the right product.

Types and sizes of crustaceans

The entire diversity of these crustaceans, and there are more than 2000 of them, is divided into 2 types - warm-water and cold-water. Their main differences from each other are the place of catch and size. Warm-water specimens, caught in Asia or Latin America, reach impressive sizes of 20 cm and 30 cm. These include species such as tiger and king shrimp. Cold-water specimens caught in Canada, Norway, the Baltic States, and Greenland have significantly modest sizes and 70-90 pieces per kilogram are their normal number.

Double marking on bags - 50/70, 70/90 or 90/120 means the number of pieces per 1 kg. When purchasing a frozen product, sizes 90/120 are considered optimal, because... on others the amount of ice will be greater. In the future, how many minutes to cook the shrimp will depend on their purchased size.

Fresh and cooked frozen product

Shrimp are sold fresh, chilled or canned. But more often they can be found frozen in 3 types: uncut, without a head, but with a shell, and completely peeled. This product can be fresh-frozen or boiled-frozen. Naturally, fresh frozen is the healthiest, because... When quickly frozen, it retains most of the nutrients.

Properly frozen boiled shrimp is when it is boiled alive in sea water and then immediately frozen.

When purchasing, you can tell whether a fresh frozen product is from a boiled one by the tail. A raw clam has a straight tail, while a boiled clam has a curled tail under its belly. It should be noted that only boiled frozen versions are supplied to our country. But if the tail of such a shrimp is straight, this is a clear indicator that the shrimp was boiled dead. You should pay special attention to this.

To cook frozen shrimp deliciously, you need to consider several points when purchasing them:

• Carcasses of females with caviar have more nutritional value.
• The color of the shell should be shiny and even, the coating of ice should be thin, and the tail should be curled.
• Snow and frost inside the bag, as well as whitish spots on the shell, are a sign that the product has been defrosted several times.
• Black coloring of the head or dark spots on the shell is a sign of a serious illness, and this is not worth buying.

All about proper cooking of frozen shrimp

All arthropods have different tastes. Cold-water clams, although small in size, are juicier and sweeter than their warm-water relatives. Their meat is ideal for salads or canapés. Large warm-water shrimp have a strong, distinctive flavor and are usually used in spicy and rich dishes. Taking into account all the features of the product you are purchasing, you need to cook the shrimp correctly in order to get the maximum taste and benefit from them.

Basic rules for defrosting

The first step to cooking any frozen product is defrosting. Any recipe for cooking shrimp begins with defrosting - this is an important moment in the overall preparation, the correctness of which will determine the taste of the dish.

Shrimp is perishable, so thawing it perfectly helps ensure even cooking. To prevent food contamination and contamination by harmful microbes, use these 2 defrosting methods.

Long defrosting method

Remove frozen crustaceans from their original packaging. Place them evenly in a deep, large bowl. Cover it with a lid and put it in the refrigerator. Natural thawing will continue overnight.

Fast defrosting method

Place frozen shrimp in a thick film that will not let water through. Fill the sink with cold water and place the bag there. The duration of the procedure will be 1-1.5 hours.

Important: You cannot defrost shellfish in the microwave or at room temperature, as this will only spoil them.

Cooking with or without shell

If mollusks are sold in the shell and with the head, then you should not immediately refuse them, even for the sake of saving money. Of course, in the end you will have to throw out the husks, but before that they can do a good job.

Whole cooked shrimp have a stronger flavor and aroma. To make it easier to clean, immediately after cooking, rinse them with cold water.

If only shrimp meat is to be cooked, then it is best to peel the shellfish in a slightly frozen state. In a solid state, the head is easily separated, and the shell is easily removed.

When cooking shrimp, you should always be mindful of the amount of salt. A 4% saline solution is prepared for shellfish, and 2% for peeled shellfish. Those. For 1 liter of water, take either 40 grams of salt or 20 grams.

For any cooking method, it is better to leave the tails on large shellfish. They serve as an additional decoration for the dish and are very convenient to eat.

It is better not to throw away the heads, peels, and shrimp debris right away, but to prepare a rich broth from it. It is stored in the cold for a long time and can be used for various sauces, dressings, and gravies. To do this, fry the leftover shrimp over high heat with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Pour in a little water and cook the broth for 15-17 minutes. Afterwards, strain the broth and store in a tightly closed container.

Cooking different types according to time

Boiling is the most commonly used cooking method for frozen food. How long to cook frozen shrimp so that they do not lose their taste depends on their size. Of course, the small type cooks faster than the large one.

Cold-water small clams take 3 to 4 minutes to cook. Their larger relatives take 5-7 minutes, and warm-water delicacies take even longer. The main indicator of the readiness of any dish will be the pinkish color of the shell. How long should you cook king prawns or other giant species if they are in the shell and the shell is not visible? The average time for their preparation will be 7-8 minutes.

Step-by-step cooking procedure

There are different ways to cook shrimp. But boiling is the simplest and most acceptable option for everyone.

1. Prepare a pan with water at the rate of 4 liters of water per 1 kg of crustaceans.
2. Add sea salt, using 1 tbsp. spoon per 1 liter of water.
3. Boil water.
4. Place defrosted shrimp in it. You don't have to remove their shell.
5. Cover the pan with a lid and reduce heat.
6. After the liquid boils again, count down the time for cooking the product. How long you need to cook the shrimp will depend on the size of the arthropods, but the cooking time should be 3-8 minutes.
7. Clams are cooked when they float to the surface and their flesh turns white. To be sure, you can make a couple of cuts.
8. Drain everything in a colander and place under ice water for 20-30 seconds. This is necessary in order to pause the cooking process.
9. Well-cooled shrimp are ready to eat.

Additional components that give the finished dish a new flavor can include lemon, dill inflorescences, bay leaves, and cloves. If desired, these additives must be added to boiling water before adding the shrimp.

Cooking without defrosting

Boiled frozen shrimp are often sold peeled as cooked meat. To prevent them from losing their taste and beneficial properties when cooking at home, it is better to use the following method.

1. Place a pan of water on the fire.
2. Let the liquid heat up for 1-2 minutes.
3. Pour frozen shrimp meat into the bowl. Cover the pan.
4. How long to cook shrimp will depend on their quantity and the volume of ice. After the ice has melted, boil the delicacy meat for no more than 4 minutes until the water boils.

Cooking options for household appliances

Along with the traditional method of boiling on the stove, arthropods can be cooked in a slow cooker, pressure cooker, or double boiler. The process itself will not take much time, and the meat will turn out very juicy and tender.

In a steamer

Crustaceans prepared in this way retain their natural juices. It is recommended to marinate the shrimp first to enrich their taste. For the marinade, you can use a mixture of lemon juice, chopped star anise, a pinch of sesame seeds, 2 tbsp. spoons of soy sauce, 50 grams of melted butter.

Thawed shrimp marinate in the prepared mixture. After the water boils, place the crustaceans in a steamer and cook until tender.

In a slow cooker

There are no special requirements for cooking shellfish in a slow cooker. The difference in the taste of the finished dishes will only be due to the mode selected for the multicooker.

• "For a couple"- do not overcook the shrimp meat, retaining most of the beneficial vitamins. Average cooking time is 10 minutes.
• "Bakery"- will give the finished dish a very appetizing look, having prepared everything in 5-6 minutes.
• "Quenching"- gives a very unusual and original taste to the dish, especially if you add aromatic spices. Cooking time: 20 minutes.
• "Soup"- will completely retain all the beneficial properties of the product, although it takes 60 minutes to prepare.

In a pressure cooker

Probably the easiest way is to boil peeled shrimp. To do this, just put them in a bowl, setting the “frying seafood” mode. After 1 minute you can enjoy the dish.

Frozen Shrimp Recipes

Frozen seafood delicacies, like fresh products, can be boiled, fried, steamed, grilled, or baked. The processing method is selected according to personal taste preferences.

To highlight the taste of the dish, when preparing shrimp you need to consider:

• If boiled frozen shrimp meat is used, then after defrosting it is added to the dish only for heating, i.e. 2-3 minutes before it ends completely. Otherwise, with increased heat treatment, the meat will become tough.
• Large cooked shrimp are usually eaten fresh. But if the recipe calls for them and they are prepared in advance, then such a product can be stored in a tight bag for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Grilled crustacean skewers

You can not only boil, but also fry frozen shrimp. A particularly popular method for large species is grilling.

Required ingredients:

• shrimp - 1 kg;
• olive oil - 50 ml;
• salt, pepper, dried garlic - to taste.

How to cook:

Defrost freshly frozen delicacies in any way. Remove the shell from them, leaving only the tail. Using a sharp knife, make an incision along the back and remove the flesh from the veins.

Soak wooden skewers in water for 20-30 minutes in advance. Then string the prepared shrimp onto them.

Place the skewers on a well-heated grill, leaving small distances between the skewers.

Grease the skewers with olive oil and season with salt and spices. Fry for 1.5-2 minutes, then turn the skewers over to the other side. The total frying time for the product is up to 4 minutes or until the meat turns pink.

Fragrant meat with spices in variations

If a salad or soup is not intended, then the shellfish can be boiled with a variety of aromatic spices. You can cook shrimp at home in different ways, the essence of which differs only in the additives.

Required ingredients:

• shrimp - 700 gr;
• salt - to taste.

Additive No. 1

• dry adjika - 1 teaspoon;
• onion - 1 pc.;
• bay leaf - 1-2 pcs.;
• red pepper - to taste.

Additive No. 2

• lemon - ¼ pcs.;
• bay leaf - 1 pc.;
• allspice peas - 1-2 pcs.;
• dill, parsley, black pepper - to taste.

How to cook:

Thaw crustaceans first.

Boil 3 liters of water in a large saucepan. Dissolve salt in it.

Place the selected set of spices into boiling water. Add shrimp to the pan and cook until tender. Place them in a colander to drain and cool slightly before using.

Boiled shrimp for beer with soy sauce

Shrimp with beer is not always healthy, but very tasty. And to enjoy this combination of products, you need to cook shrimp for beer with the right ingredients.

Required ingredients:

• shrimp - 1.5 kg;
• garlic - 1 head;
• soy sauce - 100 g;
• vegetable oil - 2 tbsp. spoons;
• red pepper, dill - to taste.

How to cook:

Defrost frozen food properly. Peel the garlic and cut the cloves into small cubes.

Boil the shrimp in salted water with the addition of dill until tender. Place them in a colander to drain.

In a deep frying pan or cauldron, fry the chopped garlic in oil, seasoning it with red pepper. Add drained clams to the spices and pour in soy sauce. Continue cooking for 8-10 minutes, and stir the dish constantly during frying.

Shrimp, perhaps, can rightfully be considered the type of seafood that is available to almost everyone. These crustaceans are perfect for creating gourmet snacks, as well as light salads. And even just boiled they will bring a lot of pleasure. It will not be difficult to find shrimp in the store that have already been processed (they have been heat-treated and frozen), as well as those that have not been subject to such a procedure. Bringing home a package of these seafood, the question obviously arises: how to cook frozen unpeeled shrimp? To prepare them correctly, you need to consider many nuances, which will be discussed below.

How to buy shrimp

Many seafood products are sold frozen, which also applies to shrimp. Therefore, there is a risk of buying low-quality, or even worse, damaged goods. To make your choice easier and not fall for the bait of irresponsible sellers and manufacturers, you need to follow a few tips:

1. Consider carefully contents of the package. The shrimp should all be approximately the same size and similar in color.
2. See the seafood for yourself: there should be a curled tail, the shell should be pink without any inclusions, the head should have a pink, brown or greenish tint.
3. You shouldn't buy packaging if you can see large amount of ice, the heads are black, or if patches of white were found on the shell.

Buying a quality product is only half the battle. It is still necessary to properly cook these seemingly unpretentious seafood.

How to cook shrimp

To ensure that when cooking seafood does not lose its taste and does not become like rubber, you need to follow several rules:

• Sufficient amount of water for boiling - twice as much as shrimp (that is, if available 300 grams of shrimp, then you need 600 ml of water);
• To get a great broth, you need to add salt and pepper; salt is calculated as follows - a heaped teaspoon per 200 grams of product, it is better to use peppercorns (half a teaspoon for the same 200 grams);
• Do not forget about lemon juice, which is suitable for all seafood; it is enough to add one teaspoon of juice to the broth;
• As soon as the broth boils, you need to add the main ingredient - shrimp.
• If desired, add a bay leaf to the broth (the seafood will acquire a delicate, pleasant aroma).

Following these rules, shrimp will acquire an excellent unique taste as if they had just been caught and cooked.

How long to cook frozen unpeeled shrimp

Having prepared the correct broth, when it boils, you need to add shrimp to the pan. Before doing this, it is better to remove the seafood from the refrigerator and let it defrost a little. This popular and affordable delicacy is most often sold in stores. frozen, unrefined. But seafood isn't just covered in a thin layer of ice. They were previously subjected to heat treatment. That is why the cooking time is very short.

As soon as the shrimp are in the pan, it is best to immediately set a timer or note the time. Enough from 1 to 5 minutes of cooking, so that they are ready. Cooking time depends on the size: the smaller the seafood, the less time it needs to be ready.

By the way, some manufacturers do not recommend boiling shrimp at all. Simple enough put them in hot water, add salt and spices, and literally after a couple of minutes, drain the water and serve.

How long to cook king prawns

We need to start with what exactly is meant by “ king prawns" So, this is a cold-blooded species of crustaceans, significantly larger in size than those described above. King prawns have a much larger head, but a smaller tail.

If you purchased these seafood fresh, then you need to add them to a pan with boiling broth (by the way, the broth described above is suitable) and cook for 7 minutes. If your choice fell on a frozen product, then they need to be placed in a pan with already warm water and boiled after boiling for 7 minutes.

You can determine whether seafood is ready or not by color: they acquire a pink tint at the very beginning, and red signals their readiness. The main thing is not to bring them to the state of “rubber” by overcooking them.

A little tip: before cooking the king prawns, place them in water for half an hour. This will give them softness and juiciness.

What other ways can you cook shrimp?

In addition to the classic method of cooking in a saucepan, you can also use modern kitchen devices:

1. In the microwave: place the shrimp in a deep bowl, pour over the following sauce - olive oil (two tablespoons is enough), salt and pepper (2 and 1 teaspoon, respectively), soy sauce (5 tablespoons); microwave for 10 minutes.
2. In a steamer: place the shrimp in a steamer bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper, pour a little lemon juice over it, and place slices of the same fruit on top; steam for 15 minutes.
3. In a slow cooker: without water, place the shrimp in a container, add spices to taste, cook for 20 minutes in the “Baking” mode.
4. In a pressure cooker: add shrimp to the pressure cooker pan with water, don’t forget about salt and pepper, set the “Frying seafood” program, the dish will be ready in 1 minute.

You can also use other devices, for example, bake in the oven, fry on a grill pan, etc. The main thing is imagination and experience.

Where can you use boiled shrimp?

Of course, boiled shrimp themselves are very tasty. But they can be eaten not only in this state, but also by adding them to various dishes:

• Shrimp salad: Chop the cucumbers and tomatoes, add some green onions and other herbs (for example, parsley). Don't forget to add boiled shrimp. For such a light salad, a dressing of olive oil, wine vinegar, salt, pepper and a little sugar is suitable.
• Pilaf with shrimp: Fry 150 grams of rice in butter until it turns golden. Add a little less than 0.5 liters of water (about 400 ml), spices and diced tomatoes. After boiling, cook the resulting mixture for about 10 minutes. Then pour in about 400 grams of shrimp (of course, they need to be peeled), also add small zucchini cubes. To give the dish something unusual, add some corn and chopped olives. Don't forget to cover and simmer until the rice is cooked.

Shrimp, perhaps, can easily be classified as one of the ingredients that they will never spoil the dish.

So, the most common seafood is easy to prepare. It is important to follow simple rules: how to choose, how to cook frozen unpeeled shrimp, how to serve or use them. When buying shrimp, be sure to buy a lemon, because they taste even better with lemon juice!

Video tutorial: cooking frozen shrimp

Further in this video, Chef 6th category Maxim Babenko will show how to properly cook unpeeled frozen shrimp, what kind of dishes to use, how much water is needed and how to make the taste of shrimp even more piquant:

Lately, shrimp have become extremely popular. They can increasingly be found on the menus of expensive restaurants and ordinary beer establishments. People not only realized the benefits of these humble mollusks, but also appreciated their delicate, unique taste. Typically, shrimp are sold raw or boiled in retail chains. As a rule, they are consumed as food. They are used for preparing salads or as a simple meal. Boiled shrimp pulp should simply melt in the mouth, so the heat treatment process is considered the most important point.

Cooking shrimp is not very difficult. It takes a little time. But first the shellfish need to be defrosted. And this must be done correctly so as not to spoil the taste of the final product. The main rule of defrosting is that you should never rush. Do not put frozen shrimp in the microwave or in a container of hot water. This can only lead to loss of flavor and all nutritional properties. There's no need to rush. Natural defrosting will take a little longer, but you will be completely sure that your product will retain everything you bought it for.

Once the clams are defrosted, you can start cooking them. But boiling shrimp does not mean throwing them in, as is customary to do with other products. The cooking technology here is completely different. The procedure takes place in 4 stages:

1. Boil the required amount of water.
2. Add salt and spices that you deem necessary. Typically, black peppercorns and bay leaves are used as such.
3. The shrimp are dipped into the prepared solution for 3 or 4 minutes. Then turn off the heat and leave them in hot water for another 15 minutes so that they can soak in the spices.
4. The finished shrimp are removed from the water with a slotted spoon and used for their intended purpose.

The principle is quite simple, but here it is also necessary to take into account the size of the mollusks. Small ones cook faster. Larger shrimp need to be cooked a little longer, about 5-6 minutes. Otherwise the procedure remains the same. After boiling, the cooled product can be used as the main component for salads or simply eaten with beer, savoring the aromatic drink with tender and juicy meat.

Sometimes shrimp are sold live. Here you need to make sure that all the mollusks are really alive. They must move freely and not arouse suspicion among the buyer. In this case, there is no need to defrost them. Cooking is carried out as usual.

Frozen clams (depending on the species) may have a black, brown or gray shell. Under no circumstances should they be covered with a layer of snow. This confirms the fact that the product was stored incorrectly or was defrosted repeatedly for no reason. It is better not to buy such a product. The aroma of the product will be partially lost. And you are unlikely to get tender meat from such semi-finished products.

Sometimes packages contain red, pink or orange specimens. This means that they are ready to eat. There is no need to cook shrimp of this color. You just have to defrost them, and then you can safely eat them. But you will not feel tenderness and aroma in them. Therefore, even if you come across boiled shrimp, it is better to process them. Make a solution of salt and spices in boiling water and pour it over the defrosted product for 10 minutes. The spices will do their job, and the shrimp will seem much tastier to you.

There is another important factor in nature that must be taken into account. Depending on their habitat, shrimp are:

1. Tiger or royal, which live in warm bodies of water.
2. Atlantic, which live in the cold waters of the ocean.

Here it is important to clearly distinguish how much to cook and how much to cook from individuals living in the sea. Warm-water mollusks are larger and require longer heat treatment. They need to be cooked for 4 minutes. While smaller marine specimens need to be kept in boiling water for no more than 2 minutes. Readiness can be easily determined by the change in color of the pulp. In addition, the shell of the mollusk becomes more transparent.

Nowadays, large tiger shrimps are often found in retail outlets. They can be quickly prepared and added to the table as a tender and flavorful dish. To prevent the product from turning out like rubber, you need to clearly understand the rule on how to cook tiger shrimp. There is nothing complicated here:

1. To begin with, we select a fresh frozen product of good quality in the store.
2. Then we wash the frozen shellfish so that foreign debris does not accidentally get into the dish.
3. Now boil water in a separate container and add salt to it. The amount of salt depends on the degree of purification of the product. If shrimp are cooked without shell, then a 20% saline solution is made. If tiger prawns are cooked in the shell, then the concentration of the solution should be twice as high. This is almost 2 full tablespoons per 1 liter of boiling water.
4. Add the necessary seasonings and spices to taste. This could be bay leaf, dill, peppercorns, parsley, garlic. Everything you want according to your taste.
5. Place the shrimp in the boiling solution and wait until they float to the surface.
6. From this moment, measure from 5 to 7 minutes (depending on the size of the product) and turn off the heat.
7. We rinse the shrimp under cold water and then remove the shell and entrails.

Now the product is completely ready for use. It can be eaten whole or used to make delicious salads. You are guaranteed a lot of pleasant sensations and benefits for the body.