To Boil Shrimps or Prawns
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the pot
Bring a large pot of water to a fast boil and add the salt.
Remove any scum that forms on the surface.
Cook the shrimp
Boil the shrimp for 5 to 6 minutes, or less if they are very small.
Boil the prawns for about 6 to 8 minutes.
Once tender, drain the shrimp or prawns in a colander.
Cool or serve
Spread them out on a soft cloth to cool or serve them hot on a napkin.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Shrimp or prawns
- Their protein firms and turns opaque as they cook, setting the tender-firm texture of the finished dish.
The step that matters
Watch the cooking time. Shrimp cook in a few minutes. Past that point the protein tightens further, so the flesh turns rubbery and dry. Small shrimp need less time than large ones.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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