By Ujjainee Roy
January 26, 2024
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Are you a seafood lover? Prawns are the easiest seafood to cook! Cleaning and preparing prawns for cooking involves an intricate process, but it's not difficult at all! Here's a step-by-step guide to pick the freshest prawn and clean them correctly before you can cook them.
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Choose fresh or thawed prawns. Fresh prawns should have a mild sea odour and a translucent appearance. Check for any off-putting smells or signs of discoloration, which could indicate spoilage.
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Hold the prawn firmly by the body. With a gentle twist, remove the head by pulling it away from the body. You can throw the head away or use it later for making stock.
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Peel off the shell by gently squeezing the body and pulling the shell away. Start from the head end and work towards the tail. You can save the shell for stock too.
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Make a shallow incision along the back of the prawn using a small knife. Locate the dark vein (the digestive tract) and lift it out with the tip of the knife or a toothpick. Rinse the prawn under cold water to ensure it is clean.
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Rinse the prawns once more to remove any remaining debris or particles. For certain recipes, you may want to 'butterfly' the prawns. Make a deeper incision along the back, stopping just short of cutting through, and then press the prawn flat.
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Pat the prawns dry with paper towels before cooking. This helps in achieving a better sear or grill. If your recipe calls for it, marinate the prawns in mixture of herbs, spices, and oil for additional flavour.
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