How to Head, Shell and De-vein Shrimp

The last article was about garlic shrimp recipe, in which the whole shrimp has been cooked, but there are recipes where shrimp prepared completely peeled and de-veined. Removing the head and shell, and de-veining are unnecessary. Usually, the purpose for that particular procedure is for aesthetic. And also the vein is the shrimp digestive tract, especially if the shrimp is large, usually those in 10 pieces per pound frozen packaging, contains a lot of grit.

This is not a food preparation that I like to do, and as much as possible, I truly avoid, hence I prefer cook whole shrimp. Plus, it brings more aroma and flavor. I like the taste of certain head part of the shrimp dipped in Kikkoman soy sauce.  Another reason I don’t like doing this is it makes my hands itchy and smelly, even if I wash it with white vinegar to kill the odor, then wash with soap and water, still the icky feeling lingers. Plus it s time consuming, it is only worth it when cooking big batches and cooking for large crowd.

However, since it is a pre-requisite to a previous recipe and other future recipes allow me to share a common technique, so here goes:

Procedures:

1. In a large strainer or colander, wash shrimps thoroughly with cold water. Keep them on ice, if a large batch to work on.

Anatomy and Physiology of White Shrimp

2. TO REMOVE THE HEAD: First, be aware and be careful with the pointy parts of the shrimp, the telson at the tail and the rostrum at the front of the head. For cooking a whole shrimp, cut those parts with paring knife against a cutting board. For cooking with tail-on, cut the telson off. But for now, avoid those while removing the head part or the cephalothorax, use the thumb and forefinger of the dominant hand, hold the gill region or the carapace, apply tension, snap and pull. Do this to all shrimps before removing the shell and de-veining, for efficiency. Anyway, there is another technique used by professional chef: with the dominant hand wrap the abdominal or tail area with three fingers and use the thumb to snap down the head part by hooking under the gill region. However, that technique only works for people with big hand, this is coming from a person with small hands.

3. TO REMOVE THE SHELL: Hold the shrimp with non-dominant hand while the dominant hand pull off the legs. Remove the shell from where the legs where removed. And if one prefers to keep the tail, simply hold the tail and the last shell of abdominal segment firmly with one hand while shell is remove with other.

4. TO REMOVE THE VEIN: Hold the shrimp right side up, then with a sharp paring knife, as a de-veining tool, makes a shallow incision along the vein. The vein is the black line running along the shrimp back. Use the tip of your knife to pull the vein up and out.

5. When done, rinse the shrimp with cold water and cooked as desired or store and freeze. Only rinse and defrost shrimp in cold water.

NTS:

Keep the heads and shells to be use in making a great seafood stock. Clean and freeze for later use.

Shrimp is sold by size: small, medium large and jumbo, and/or by number of pieces per pound. A good medium size shrimp, ideal for barbecue, are packaged about 20 to 30 pieces per pound. While smaller shrimp, four soup, comes 35 pieces per pound.  

This is month is basically for a friend who loves fried rice with shrimp. And I am happy to dedicate this month, which also serves as an inspiration. This is a great concept to draw ideas for the blog and I might do this often.

For readers, have you tried this technique? Do you have another efficient and easy technique? Please share your thoughts down below. Feel free to post your reactions, suggestions, and corrections as it will help us cook and create better article and blog content. Thank you!

As always enjoy cooking and eating!

Reference and Inspired by

1. Waineru, S. (2018, June 28). Friend Rice with Shrimp. [Blog Post]. Retrieved from http://inourhomesweethome.blogspot.com/2018/06/fried-rice-with-shrimp.html

2. The Culinary Institute of America. (2015, March 31). How to Peel and De-vein Fresh Shrimp.  [Video File].  Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3cwoaWhhoc

Garlic Shrimp

This is for a friend who loves fried rice with shrimp. Enjoy.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

Preparation Time:             5 minutes

Cooking Time:                   10 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons                    cooking oil

2 cloves                             garlic, sliced

1/2 kilo                               shrimp (medium-sized)

1 tablespoon                      butter, unsalted       

                                           salt and ground black pepper

Procedures:

1. Heat the 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

2. Add garlic, cook and stir, until garlic is fragrant and golden, but not brown, about 30 seconds.

3. Add shrimp, increase heat to medium-high, cook and stir often, until shrimp are opaque and red.

4. Add butter and stir to coat. Cover and cook for 2 minutes.

5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. Serve immediately.

NTS:

     Shrimp will cook quickly and dry out if overcooked.
Warning: This recipe contains a food allergen, shellfish.

Please give this a try and share your thoughts down below. Please feel free to post your reactions, suggestions, and corrections as it will help create better article and blog content. Thank you!

As always enjoy cooking and eating!

Reference and Inspired by

1. Waineru, S. (2018, June 28). Friend Rice with Shrimp. [Blog Post]. Retrieved from http://inourhomesweethome.blogspot.com/2018/06/fried-rice-with-shrimp.html

2. Kinkead, E.B., Sehbai, D.S. & Tunney. C.J, (Eds.). (1972) Modern Century Illustrated Encyclopedia.(Vols19).  Austialia: McGraw-Hill far Eastern Publishers.

Fried Rice with Shrimp

Friend’s Favorite

This food recipe is a story of friendship. I have chosen to feature this specific fried rice recipe because it reminds me of a good friend whom I have recently met on Google Hangout. And if I have the opportunity to cooked, I would like to cook this recipe for that friend as a sign of my deepest gratitude. I am not sure if this would suffice my dear friend discriminating taste, but with hope that I will have the opportunity to discover their taste preference.

Fried rice is a very simple rice recipe with all the carbohydrates and proteins a person needs in a breakfast meal.  It is quick and easy to cook but it needs some day-before preparation, those ingredients are the cooked rice and the shelled-deveined shrimps. Or maybe…not at all, for day-old leftover cooked rice and leftover fried garlic shrimps seems to be made for fried rice. This is an economic, no waste, and healthy food options. In addition, the leftover cooked rice would not only be economic but also be ideal as most elders, like grandparents, claim about the best fried rice is cooked with day old cooked rice. Choices are great, so it is all up to you...to prepare or not to prepare? Below is the recipe:

 

Fried Rice with Shrimp

This recipe yields 2-4 servings.

Preparation Time:             15 minutes

Cooking Time:                   15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

4 cups                                 packed, cold cooked rice

1 1/2 tablespoons               water

1/2 cup                                fresh shrimp, shelled, deveined and sliced

2 large                                 eggs, well-beaten

1/2 teaspoon                       salt

4 tablespoons                     cooking oil

3 cloves                              garlic, minced

3 tablespoons                     onion, chopped

2 tablespoons                     soy sauce

1 teaspoon                         white sugar

1/4 teaspoon                      vetsin (optional)

1 tablespoon                      sherry vinegar (optional – sweet vinegar)

                                           A dash of pepper

2 tablespoons                    green onions or scallions, chopped

Procedures:

1. Prepare the rice. Loosen the grains with the water. Heat a 12-inch pan with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. Then, add the rice and stir fry for 3 minutes. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, mix shrimp, beaten eggs and salt.

3. Heat the same pan with the remaining cooking oil. Fry garlic and onion until light brown. Add the shrimp and egg mixture. Cook for 2 minutes, stir constantly.

4. Add the fried rice and stir for 3 more minutes.

5. Combine the last ingredients: soy sauce, white sugar, vetsin, sherry vinegar and pepper, except the green onion, stir for another 3 minutes. 

6. Sprinkle the scallions before removing from heat.

7. Best serve hot.

NTS:

Leftover cooked rice and fried garlic shrimps are economic alternative.

Shrimp may be substituted with crabmeat.

Warning: This recipe contains a food allergen, shellfish.

Please give this try and share your thoughts down below. Do you find this recipe too simple to be true? Please feel free to post your reactions, suggestions, and corrections as it will help us cook and create better article and blog content. Thank you!

As always enjoy!

Reference and Inspired by

1. From my mother’s cooking notes.

2. Zondraxor.