shrimp people increasingly began to appear on the festive tables of Russians. They are cooked in the microwave, in the oven. Several years ago, they were prepared only in restaurants for a select few people, considering such dishes to be delicacies. It was impossible to see crustaceans on store shelves. Now it is not difficult to buy them. But, few people know how to cook them correctly - boil, fry, bake or salt ...
Many ways have already been invented and tested. You just need to follow some cooking rules. Shrimp, in fact, is not a whim of wealthy officials. This is a truly valuable product. Especially for dietetic food lovers. Only 97 calories per 100 g of crustaceans. They are high in protein and low in fat. At the same time, you can perfectly satisfy your hunger without worrying about your figure. Boiled shrimp has even less calories, only 95.
Nutritionists advise against frying them. Since this increases the content of harmful cholesterol and calories in them to 242. From fried crayfish, you can gain excess weight.
Baked ones, too, should not be carried away by those who protect the figure. They have up to 175 calories per 100 g.
All seafood is packed with protein. Consequently, they contain amino acids necessary for the body. There is a lot of iodine, vitamins D, E, K, A. Also, they are rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, fluorine, zinc, tocopherol. They contain acids - folic, ascorbic.
They contain more iodine than beef. Therefore, if you regularly eat seafood dishes, you can strengthen the thyroid gland and the immune system. Improve kidney function, bone and muscle composition.
In addition to positive qualities, shrimp also have negative sides. They contain a fraction of arsenic. Sea creatures tend to accumulate poison in their bodies. But, only those that are caught in the sea. Therefore, you need to carefully look at the packaging and read about the method and place of catching them.
In stores, most often you can see crustaceans frozen. They have different names: "Tiger", "Royal", "Atlantic", "Green". Frozen crayfish have a shiny shell, a slightly curled tail, and a uniform color. Royal refers to the warmly aquatic species. They are larger in size than cold water (Atlantic) ones.
By looking at the tail, you can determine how long it has been warm before freezing. The more the tail is bent, the earlier the product was frozen after the catch.
Incorrect storage is indicated by the presence of snow or ice in the package. Also, pale spots on the carapace. But at the sight of a green head, you should not be intimidated. This is the normal state of the product.
Many housewives are used to cooking in the microwave. It is convenient, fast, and allows you to preserve the maximum benefit of the products. When cooked in this way, their natural taste is preserved. Seafood has a delicate texture and must be cooked with care. Otherwise, you will get disappointment and not the desired appearance of the finished dish.
The exact cooking time must be observed so that the crayfish do not become tough. Microwaving shrimp is easy. There are several ways. And everyone chooses their own recipe. Many not only boil, but also bake, fry, using the "grill" function. Here are the simplest ways:
After cooking, the liquid is drained, but not all. Leave a little at the bottom of the plate. Stir and set for another five minutes, on the same cooking mode.
step by step recipe with photoYou can quickly and easily cook shrimp in the microwave, adding various spices and herbs to taste, not forgetting about soy sauce. Since seafood is often sold cooked and frozen, it takes no more than 5-8 minutes to create dishes from them, and sometimes even less! When buying, pay attention to the ice glaze covering the shrimp, as careless producers and sellers often add more than necessary and at the exit, after defrosting from 1 kg of frozen shrimp, you can get 0.5 kg of product and 0.5 l of ice water. To prevent this from happening, it is better to overpay a little and purchase a normal product than a frozen one.
To cook shrimp in the microwave, choose a special dish with a lid, without gold or silver patterns, so that it does not burst. Cooking time depends entirely on the power of your equipment.
1. Defrost the shrimps for about 20 minutes at room temperature and rinse them slightly. Put it in a prepared container, preferably deep.
2. Peel the garlic cloves, rinse in water and cut into slices, add to the container along with black peppercorns, salt. Pour in soy sauce and water, making sure that the level of liquid in the container does not rise above half, otherwise, when boiling, it will flow out onto the microwave tray.
3. Close the container with a lid and place it in the microwave, turning on the timer for 4-5 minutes at a power of 800 watts. If your appliance has a power over 800 W, then reduce the cooking time and vice versa. In the middle of the process, turn off the equipment, carefully open the container and mix its contents. Close the lid again and finish cooking.
With the advent of modern household appliances, housewives can save their own time. Few people know, but the microwave is also suitable for cooking shrimp, the main thing is to choose the right recipe and use the available equipment correctly.
When using the microwave, it is very important which shrimp is cooked. Since you can find both cooked and raw on the market, the chef should take into account that the former have already been pre-processed, so there is no need to expose them to high temperatures again.
Raw shrimp should be cooked using special dishes, into which water is poured, spices are added, seafood is spread, covered with a lid and the technique is set at 70 degrees for five minutes. Then the lid is removed and the readiness is checked.
Already boiled product is placed in a container with water for 2 minutes at 100 degrees. It must be remembered that if there is not enough liquid, then the seafood will simply dry out inside the shell and even burn, and in this form few people will want to eat it. If the microwave does not have the ability to set the temperature, then you should rely on the cooking time - no more than two minutes for boiled seafood and 5 minutes for raw. In any case, it is worth checking the readiness and if there are suspicions that the inside of the shrimp has remained raw, then they turn it on for one more minute. The color of the shell always speaks of readiness, if it is red, then you can eat.
To cook fragrant and tasty shrimp in the microwave you will need:
Even a novice cook can master the cooking process step by step. It is necessary to combine all the ingredients, except for shrimp and mushrooms, put them in a microwave and heat them at 100 degrees for 90 seconds. Add shrimp and mushrooms. Cover the container with a lid, set the same temperature, but only for 4 minutes. After the signal sounds, let the dish stand in the microwave for a couple of minutes with the lid closed. If there is no mode to set the temperature, we rely on the specified time in the heating mode.
If you want a dish that is more complex in taste, then you will need to prepare the following list of ingredients:
Mix all vegetables with celery seeds and butter in a pot, then simmer in the microwave until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes, a little water and simmer for 30–40 minutes. Then put the peeled shrimps and cook for another 10-20 minutes, depending on the microwave. Serve over rice or pasta.
If you don't have enough time, you can use the minimum amount of ingredients:
Put the oil and garlic in a shallow dish and microwave over high heat, cook for two minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix well. The soy sauce is added in the desired amount, but the concentrated one will be salty, so it is better to dilute it with water in equal amounts. Cover, microwave at 50% power and simmer for 6 minutes. You can use rice or pasta as a side dish.
If you want something unusual, then you should cook special shrimps, which will require:
Put butter in a glass baking dish. Set it in the microwave, turn it on to a minimum so that it melts. Add green peppers, onions, garlic and chopped celery. Cover with paper and simmer on reheat for about 2 minutes, until vegetables are tender. You can put the microwave oven at the same time, setting the temperature to 100 degrees.
Add cornstarch and mix well. Put chopped tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, chili, Tabasco sauce and cook in the same mode for 5 minutes until the mixture begins to bubble. The mixture is stirred twice during preparation. Peeled shrimps are added, stewed for another 4 minutes, and then served with rice.
It is worth choosing seafood carefully so that it is fresh, without a pungent smell. You can use frozen food for microwave cooking. The carapace should not be slippery or sticky, without black spots on the head, unless it is a black tiger shrimp. The pulp should be grayish pink or gray.
If the shrimps are frozen, then they must be defrosted beforehand. When seafood unpeeled from the shell is used, the intestines must be removed along with the shell. If this is not done, then the meat will acquire an unpleasant bitterness.
For microwave cooking, use special utensils. Ideal ingredients should be used: bell pepper, olive or any other vegetable oil, dill and oregano, lemon, garlic, onions and green onions, a mixture of peppers, soy sauce.
On high power, the shrimp should not simmer for more than five minutes. A prerequisite is that there is enough moisture around them, otherwise the dish will not work.
How to quickly and deliciously cook shrimp at home, see the video below.