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| Crawfish |
During my childhood days, my family were not so lucky to eat
some “luxurious” foods like steak, lobsters and shrimps or prawns. Me and my
sisters would see these foods on TV and in the restaurants but those are not
usually part of our order. I guess that is why when my dad had the shrimp
exporting business with his Korean friends, we were so excited to see a lot of
prawns being brought to our house and packed for export.
This was also the time when my mom started to try out
different recipes for prawns and she was
successful . On our constant trip to the market, she showed me different types
of seafood and later on, I have learned they are categorically known as “shellfish”.
I got interested in studying
different types of shellfish and in some of my dining experiences, I
encountered the most common types of shellfish; and discovered that they are
one of the most expensive cuisines anywhere you go.
Shellfish are aquatic animals protected by some sort of
shell. Based on skeletal structure they are categorized distinctively as:
UNIVALVES or the
single-shelled mollusks like:
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| Abalone |
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| Conch |
 |
| Snail or Escargot |
BIVALVES or mollusks with two shells joined together by a
hinge like:
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| Clam |
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| Mussel |
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| Oyster |
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| Scallops |
CEPHALOPODS or those with tentacles attached directly to the head like:
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| Octopus |
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| Squid |
CRUSTACEANS or mollusks with joined exterior skeletons or shell like:
I also learned that when buying shellfish, we should always look for signs of movement. While lobsters and crabs should move about, clams, mussels and oysters should be tightly closed, or close when touched. As they age, they will begin to open. Any shells that do not snap shut when tapped should be discarded; this means that the fish is dead.
Below is one of mom’s shrimp specialties, Prawns in Garlic and Sweet Chili Sauce. Learning it from her is like learning it from a pro.
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| Crab |
 |
| Lobster |
 |
| Shrimp |
I also learned that when buying shellfish, we should always look for signs of movement. While lobsters and crabs should move about, clams, mussels and oysters should be tightly closed, or close when touched. As they age, they will begin to open. Any shells that do not snap shut when tapped should be discarded; this means that the fish is dead.
Below is one of mom’s shrimp specialties, Prawns in Garlic and Sweet Chili Sauce. Learning it from her is like learning it from a pro.
INGREDIENTS
1 lb fresh prawns
4-5 cloves garlic , chopped (more if you want )
1 red onion, chopped
2 tbsp. Oyster sauce
1 tbps. Hot sauce
2 tbsp. Tomato catsup
2 tbsp. Oyster sauce
1 tsp butter
Salt and pepper to taste
PROCEDURE
Clean and devein prawns. Place in a pan with ¼ cup water and
add 1 pinch of salt. Cook until prawns turn pink. Remove from heat and set
aside. Heat a tbsp cooking oil and butter.
Sauté garlic and onion for about 2 minutes, and add in the cooked prawns.
Mix in
the oyster sauce, hot sauce and tomato sauce. Let it simmer for about 10
minutes.
Place on platter and serve while still hot. Enjoy!
Happy eating J
