Data source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, FDC 175179 (Crustaceans, shrimp, raw).
Fun facts
- Raw shrimp is greyish blue, but it turns orange red as soon as it meets heat. The red pigment astaxanthin is already in the shell, hidden by a protein. Heat pulls that protein away, and the red shows up.
- 100g of raw shrimp gives about 85 kcal, 20.1g of protein and only 0.5g of fat. Think of it as the chicken breast of the sea.
- 100g of shrimp also has about 64mg of calcium and 264mg of potassium. Sodium is around 119mg, higher than most fish but far lighter than a small bowl of dipping sauce.
- Shrimp shows up across every region of Vietnam: caramelized shrimp, shrimp steamed in coconut water, fresh spring rolls, sour soup. It appears in 125 recipes in the kOBE recipe bank.
Choosing and storing
Fresh shrimp has glossy shells, firm bodies and heads that stay attached tightly. A blackened or loose head means it has been sitting a while. Cook fresh shrimp the same day; if not, rinse, pat dry, pack into small bags and freeze. Shrimp frozen right after harvest often keeps its quality as well as "fresh" shrimp that sat at the market all morning.
Cooking it well
Shrimp cooks fast, usually 2 to 3 minutes until the flesh turns opaque white and curls into a C shape. Cook it too long and it curls into a tight O, turning tough and dry. Steaming, quick boiling or a hot stir fry keeps its natural sweetness without much oil. If you are wondering about the cholesterol in shrimp, read cholesterol in food.
