In fact, the process of cleaning and preparing raw and cooked shrimp is not much different. No matter what type of shrimp you have in your kitchen, always check for freshness before cleaning and processing it into various dishes.
Step
Step 1. Check the freshness of the shrimp
All types of shrimp should be stored in the refrigerator at 0-3°C. In general, raw shrimp should be consumed within 48 hours of purchase, while cooked shrimp should be consumed within 5-7 days after cooking. If frozen in the freezer, shrimp can last for 5 to 6 months.
- If the quality is still good, cooked shrimp should have a firm texture, white with a slight pink tinge, and not have an overly fishy aroma. Also understand that some people prefer to cook shrimp with the heads, legs and/or shells on.
- If the quality is still good, raw shrimp should have a dense texture, transparent color, look shiny, and not have a strange smell. Generally, raw shrimp sold in the market are still equipped with legs, skin, and heads.
- Frozen shrimp, whether raw or cooked, should be thawed in the refrigerator overnight before cleaning. If you want, you can also tenderize the shrimp in small portions by submerging them in a bowl of cold water or running them under cold water under the tap. Supposedly, this process will only last for 20-30 minutes.
Step 2. Wash the prawns thoroughly
Put the prawns in a hollow basket (colander), then rinse with cold water. While cleaning, observe the condition of the shrimp one by one, and remove any shrimp that look slimy, have an odd color, or smell very fishy.
Make sure the shrimp are only rinsed or softened (for frozen shrimp) in cold (no warmer than room temperature) water. Remember, shrimp are very easy to cook. If soaked in warm water, the shrimp will be too tough when cooked
Step 3. Remove the prawn heads
Pinch the head of the shrimp with your index finger and thumb, then grasp the body of the shrimp with your other hand. Then, twist and pull the head of the shrimp until it detaches from the body.
- Not all shrimp are sold complete with the head, and some people prefer to cook the shrimp with the head to enrich the taste of the dish. In general, shrimp heads can also be consumed. However, if you don't want to do this, feel free to do this method before the shrimp is cooked.
- Put the shrimp heads in a separate plastic bag, then throw them away immediately before the smell becomes bad. If you want, you can also save the shrimp heads to be processed into broth.
Step 4. Remove the shrimp legs
Once the heads are removed, turn the shrimp over so the belly is facing you. Then, pinch the prawn leg with your fingertips as hard as you can, then pull it all the way through. Supposedly, the shrimp legs will come off easily although the process needs to be done gradually.
Step 5. Remove the prawn shells
The method you use really depends on the level of doneness of the shrimp. The most common way to remove the shells is to peel off the exposed skin (right where the legs were removed), as if you were removing a jacket.
- Use your fingers or a small fruit knife to gradually peel away the tough skin of the shrimp. If you want, you can also pull the shell closest to the area of the shrimp head that was removed. Both methods are equally effective.
- In addition, you can also slice the skin that is located along the back of the shrimp, just above the feces or intestinal tract. After slicing, the shrimp shells can be peeled immediately as usual. Because the dirt on the back of the shrimp will also be cleaned, this method is most commonly used to peel the skin of raw shrimp.
Step 6. Remove shrimp tails, if desired
Generally, prawns are cooked with the tail. However, if you are reluctant to use it, the shrimp tail can be pulled out and thrown away or cut with a knife.
Step 7. Clean the dirt on the back of the shrimp
Along the back of the shrimp, you'll find droppings that look like long black strings. In fact, the excrement is a shrimp intestinal tract that can be easily removed using a sharp knife. Previously, scrape the back of the shrimp first, then pull the dirt to remove it.
- Shrimp back only needs to be trimmed, not cut. In other words, slice the back of the shrimp only until the dirt is visible, not until the flesh is split open.
- Remove the tip of the dirt using the tip of a knife. After that, pull the tip of the dirt until it reaches the tail of the shrimp with your fingers until the back of the shrimp is completely clean. You should be able to do this process easily.
Step 8. Store shrimp properly
First, rinse the prawns under cold running water to remove any remaining shell flakes or any dirt that may remain in them. Preferably, raw shrimp should be processed immediately after cleaning. Otherwise, shrimp should be refrigerated for a maximum of 24 hours before processing.
