Shrimp and Prawn -A Cooking Tip

I am a huge foodie, not only eating but cooking as well. I am not a trained chef but I would consider myself an expert home cook. As we go through the days of exploring new cooking and eating habits, I think I will post tidbits of wisdom as I think of it. Perhaps if we all could do this it might make the whole diet portion a little easier :)

Shrimp and Prawn- When cooking shrimp it is very easy to over cook them. Over cooked shrimp is chewy and tough. Shrimp should be light and delicate (at least in my book). To cook shrimp here is how I do it:

Take thawed peeled shrimp and sandwich them between doubled up paper towels or two clean dish clothes. Press down on them. The goal here is to get as much moisture out as you possible can. When shrimp cooks, it does so very quickly. If there is moisture in the shrimp then the water warms up and takes a second to evaporate which continues the cooking process. That precious few seconds can make all the difference.

Warm a non stick skillet or well seasoned wok on high till a drop of water sizzles and instantly evaporates. Do not use cooking oil or spray. Place the shrimp evenly on the pan, do this quickly. The size of the shrimp or prawn will determine cooking time. As soon as one of the shrimps turns pink on one side, turn them all over as quickly as you can. The next side is easy it is about half the time of the first side, don't wait till it turns completely pink. They should have a few small brown spots but not too many. Remove them all onto a plate. Once you remove the shrimp they will cook for a few more moments longer off the pan and should be optimal. After removing and waiting if they still are under cooked throw them back on for a second, I think you will find they are just fine. If you are making a stir fry or adding the shrimp to a dish, season the shrimp on the plate separate, and when the rest of the food is done cooking toss in the shrimp.

Enjoy!!