Prawns are one of the most popular kinds of food. People use them in numerous delicious recipes across the world. Rich in protein and amazingly low in calories, prawns can be your ultimate go-to food if you are craving some delightfully delectable dishes made in a jiffy.
You can use them to prepare a variety of dishes. Kerala’s fried prawns or Bengal’s mildly sweet and creamy prawns made with coconut milk, Goan prawn curry, or Andhra’s spicy prawns. Every region has a special way of preparing these succulent morsels – as curries or fries and even pickles! So, what’s your favourite way of savouring prawns? Learn more about this scrumptious seafood in the sections below.
What are they?
Prawns are aquatic crustaceans that can be found in both freshwater and seawater. Many variants exist in different regions of the world. Like Palaemon prawns grow in ponds and rivers of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Tropical prawns are found in Australia, and banana and tiger prawns are mainly found in the Indo-west pacific ocean. In India, Andhra Pradesh is the largest producer of these crustaceans. Other states where the cultivation of prawns and shrimps is carried out are West Bengal, Orissa, Kerala, Gujrat, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.
What are the different types?
There are a wide variety of prawns available for consumption. The different types of prawns are –
- Tiger prawns – Tiger prawns can be recognized by their black or grey stripes, are very large and can be extremely flavorful in curries. Whichever way you prefer, tiger prawns will always pleasantly surprise you with their distinctive flavour.
- White shrimps – These are sweet prawns used for the preparations of rich creamy dishes. White shrimps are tender in texture and have a mild flavour. You can use white shrimps in a variety of dishes like creamy shrimp, garlic shrimp, grilled shrimp, and shrimp fried rice.
- Pink shrimp – Small in size and pink in colour, these shrimps are exceptionally juicy, flavourful, and have a unique taste that makes them stand out from the rest of the prawns. Add them to pasta or use them in biryani, you will be surprised by their appetizing taste.
- Brown shrimps – They are firm and small, have a strong flavour and turn pink when cooked. They contain more iodine and are low in saturated fat and are rich in vitamin b12 and selenium. You can simply saute them with salt and pepper or prepare exotic dishes like butter garlic spicy shrimps, or even add them to basmati rice to make shrimp fried rice.
- Freshwater prawns – Found and cultivated in freshwater, they differ in size and taste. They are very delicate, hence people cook slow-cook them on a low flame to retain the taste and nutrition.
Where are prawns popular?
People all over the world relish prawns! The leading producers of shrimps, Thailand and China, account for approximately 75% of the total production of shrimps.
What kinds of recipes can make with prawns?
In India, people all across the country enjoy prawns in multiple recipes across regions. From being a superstar ingredient in Chettinad and curries of Kerala, malai curries of West Bengal, Punjabi prawn curries, and tikkas of north India to authentic and traditional Goan Balchao of Goa. While some prefer sweet and sour curries, others like to have them barbequed and grilled.
What cooking methods are most suitable for cooking prawns?
Although people cook prawns in any method, you have to be careful while cooking them, as they cook in a matter of minutes. Overcooked prawns tend to become dry and bland. For curries, just simmer them gently with oil, ghee, or butter or fry them in a pan with spices of your choice. When barbecuing, cleaned prawns are marinated well with spices and then grilled in the oven. For seasoning, you can sprinkle salt and black pepper and add some chopped parsley for garnishing.
What kinds of cuts are available at Licious?
At Licious, you can find cleaned and deveined freshwater & seawater prawns. Some examples are – sea white, pink shrimp, witch shrimp, or larger tiger prawns. At Licious, we ensure all our meats & seafood are always fresh and are never frozen.
As per your choice, you can get the prawns whole or without head and tail for quick cooking. We thoroughly clean and devein our prawns so you can use them without needing to do any prep.
Licious prawns have no added chemicals or artificial preservatives. Make every meal extraordinary with our fresh prawns! We’ll deliver them right to your door.
The next time you have a prawn craving and cook a delicious meal, feel free to tag us on Instagram with #MadeWithLicious, we’d love to see your creations. For more informative and interesting blogs like this one, visit again! If you like what you read, let us know in the comments.