Shrimp have an invaluable place in seafood cuisine with their history beginning as far back as the 7th century. The word shrimp is of English origin and means "pygmy". First, seafood gained popularity in the Chinese diet and then it spread across the world.
In the 20th century, shrimp were extremely widespread in American culture and a number of classic recipes were born with their participation. With the beginning of the 20th century, seafood acquired a well-deserved place in modern European cuisine.
The traditional way to prepare this seafood is precisely, by pan-frying them. However, how are shrimp properly fried?
Shrimp can be fried with or without their shell. With a shell, they are significantly juicier and softer. If you are frying king prawns or tiger prawns in their shell, they are done almost instantly after being placed in the pan.
You should not defrost shrimp before frying. They are placed in a heated pan and fried without a lid on medium heat. You can tell when the shrimp are done by the evaporation of the liquid in the pan. Then you can move on to flavoring them, by adding other ingredients into the pan.
If you choose to defrost shrimp before cooking, it is best to do the defrosting with lukewarm water or at room temperature. Microwave defrosting is absolutely not recommended.
The frying time depends on the size and type of shrimp. If you fry freshly frozen or fresh shrimp, they usually cook in about 8 minutes. If you are cooking large king prawns, it usually takes 10-12 minutes. For boiled or frozen shrimp, the time is about 8 minutes.
If you fry the prawns in butter then they are more likely to become more tender and soft.
Check out some delicious shrimp ideas:
- shrimp with rice;
- shrimp salad.
