Steamed Mantis Shrimp
Seasonal Spring Delicacy: Steamed Mantis Shrimp (Perfect with Soju)
Mantis shrimp, with their unique appearance, offer a delightful chewy texture when simply steamed. While steaming is a popular method, their succulent meat can also be used to make flavorful soups or sushi. They are known to pair exceptionally well with bean sprouts. With only 87 calories per 100g and low fat content, they are an excellent choice for those mindful of their diet. The peak season, especially when they are full of roe and at their most delicious, is from April to May, leading up to their spawning period from May to July. Enjoy this seasonal treat!
Ingredients- Fresh Mantis Shrimp
- Soju (for removing fishy odor)
- Gochujang sauce (for dipping)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Mantis shrimp have a peculiar and intriguing appearance. When preparing them, be extra cautious due to their sharp and pointed parts, which can easily cause injury if handled carelessly. It’s advisable to wear gloves.
Step 2
Both the tail section and the legs of the mantis shrimp are adorned with sharp spines. It’s best to purchase them live for optimal freshness. When washing, absolutely avoid scrubbing them with your bare hands, as you risk getting pricked by the spines. Instead, use tongs or a sieve to gently rinse them by swishing them around.
Step 3
After rinsing the mantis shrimp thoroughly, drain them well. Then, arrange them neatly in a steamer basket, ready to be steamed. Fill your steamer pot with ample water and bring it to a boil.
Step 4
To effectively eliminate any potential fishy odor, pour some leftover soju over the mantis shrimp. This ‘soju shower’ will help neutralize any unpleasant smells, leaving them fresh and clean.
Step 5
Now, cover the steamer with its lid and let the mantis shrimp steam thoroughly for about 20 minutes. The steaming time may vary slightly depending on the size of the mantis shrimp.
Step 6
After 20 minutes, lift the lid to reveal mantis shrimp that have turned a vibrant, appealing red color, much like cooked shrimp. Interestingly, their nutritional profile is similar to shrimp, but they are particularly rich in Vitamin B complex.
Step 7
Now, let’s prepare the perfectly steamed mantis shrimp for eating. As mentioned before, they have many spines, so please continue to exercise caution during preparation. You wouldn’t want to injure yourself while enjoying this delicacy!
Step 8
First, use scissors to carefully snip off the sharp, pointed carapace at the head and the hard tail section.
Step 9
Next, trim off the legs and the hard shell along both sides of the body segment using your scissors. Be gentle to avoid damaging the edible meat.
Step 10
It’s time to peel off the top shell. Gently lift the upper shell of the mantis shrimp’s body segment with scissors or your fingers, and it should peel away ‘smoothly,’ much like peeling a fruit.
Step 11
Finally, peel off the bottom shell, and the preparation is almost complete. When peeling shells from mantis shrimp that are not very fresh, the meat often crumbles or sticks stubbornly to the shell. However, with fresh mantis shrimp:
Step 12
The meat will separate cleanly from the shell, revealing the succulent meat inside. All that’s left is to enjoy your delicious mantis shrimp! It’s quite simple, isn’t it?
Step 13
As a tip, the tail section of the mantis shrimp also contains chewy and flavorful meat. If you wish, you can extract this meat as well to enjoy alongside the rest.
Step 14
Achieving the best results when separating the mantis shrimp meat relies heavily on precise cutting with scissors. By following the steps outlined above, you can skillfully extract the mantis shrimp meat without damaging its texture or breaking it apart.
