Differences Between Prawns, Qingxia Shrimp and Greasyback Shrimp, Price per Jin and Delicious Recipes

Prawns, scientific name Penaeus orientalis, also known as Chinese prawn (Chinese white prawn) or tiger prawn. They mainly feed on benthic invertebrates, such as polychaetes, small crustaceans and bivalve mollusks, and sometimes also catch zooplankton.So what are the differences between prawns, qingxia shrimp and greasyback shrimp? How much do they cost per jin? How do you cook them deliciously?According to the Weihai City aquatic products wholesale market in Shandong Province, the current price of prawns is around 180 yuan/kg.

What are the differences between prawns, qingxia shrimp and greasyback shrimp?

1. Metapenaeus shrimp is commonly known as hemp shrimp or greasyback shrimp, and is more often called greasyback shrimp among the general public. Greasyback shrimp are bred in freshwater and farmed in seawater enclosures, and their name comes from “enclosure-based farming”. Greasyback shrimp look like prawns, but their shells are softer than those of prawns, and their bodies are not as large as prawns, generally about the size of a middle finger. The estuary and sea areas along the coast of Guangdong have relatively high yields, and the shrimp are plump with thin shells and fresh, crisp, tasty meat.

2. Prawns are arthropods, with bodies 15-20 cm long and thin, transparent shells. The whiskers on the second pair of antennae are very long. The meat is delicious, and they are one of China's specialty products. They are mainly produced in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Bay. In the past, they were often sold in pairs on the market, hence the name "pair shrimp" (duixia). They are also called mingxia.

3. Qingxia, also known as river shrimp, scientific name Macrobrachium nipponense, gets its name because its body color is blue-green and semi-transparent.

Qingxia are widely distributed, highly adaptable, highly reproductive, omnivorous, and fast-growing. In addition, their meat is tender, delicious and nutritious, with high protein content (according to analysis, every 100 grams of fresh shrimp meat contains 16.4 grams of protein, 1.3 grams of fat, 0.1 grams of carbohydrates, 1.2 grams of ash, 99 mg of calcium, 205 mg of phosphorus, and 1.3 mg of iron). They also contain various vitamins essential to the human body, so they are very popular among consumers. Qingxia are a year-round consumer variety with no seasonal restrictions. Their processing and cooking methods are diverse, and their flavor adaptability is broad. Therefore, for many years, qingxia have been in short supply in the market, selling well continuously, and their prices have kept rising. They are an aquaculture variety with great market potential. Vigorously developing artificial qingxia farming is not only an important measure to adjust the fishery structure and promote the fishery industry to a new level, but also opens up a new path to wealth for the broad community of fishermen (farmers).

How do you cook prawns deliciously?

1. Steamed Prawns with Bell Peppers

Ingredients

Frozen prawns, bell peppers, garlic, cooking wine, light soy sauce, sesame oil, black pepper, salt, sugar

Method

1. Ingredients: frozen prawns, bell peppers, garlic;

2. Peel the garlic, remove the stem ends, and mince;

3. Mix the minced bell peppers and minced garlic with cooking wine, light soy sauce, sesame oil, black pepper, salt and sugar;

4. Remove the digestive tract from the prawns, split them open in the middle, wash and drain, then arrange on a plate. (Except for the head and tail sections, the middle must be split open completely, otherwise they will curl up after steaming);

5. Evenly sprinkle the minced bell peppers over the shrimp;

6. After the water in the pot comes to a boil, steam in the pot for about 3 minutes. (Once the shrimp change color, turn off the heat and take them out to keep the shrimp tender and fresh).

2. Steamed Prawns with Lemon

Ingredients

Main ingredients: 250 grams of prawns, 250 grams of fresh squid

Secondary ingredient: 50 grams of lemon

Seasonings: 3 grams of salt, 1 gram of monosodium glutamate, 20 grams of cooking wine, 20 grams of salad oil, 10 grams of cornstarch

Method

1. Cut the lemon into slices and spread them on a plate;

2. Score the fresh squid into a cross-hatch pattern, place it together with the prawns in a bowl containing refined salt, monosodium glutamate and cooking wine, and marinate for 2 minutes;

3. Wrap the squid around the outside of the bamboo prawns, arrange on the lemon, and steam in a steamer over high heat for 5 minutes, then remove;

4. Place a wok over high heat, add salad oil, pour in clear soup (200 grams) and bring to a boil, thicken with wet starch, and drizzle over the prawns.

3. Dry-Braised Prawns

Ingredients

Main ingredient: 6 prawns (0.5 jin)

Seasonings: refined oil, Maggi soy sauce, tomato ketchup, wine, salt, sugar, scallion, ginger, garlic. Cookware: flat-bottom nonstick pan

Method

1. Wash the prawns, trim off the whiskers and legs, and drain;

2. Mince the garlic, ginger and scallion and set aside;

3. Put on the stove over low heat, add a little oil, and when it is 50% hot, add the prawns and pan-fry both sides. After 5 minutes, add the minced garlic and minced ginger (be careful not to burn them), and continue frying until 90% cooked;

4. (At this point over low heat) Pour in the wine, Maggi soy sauce, tomato ketchup, sugar and a little salt, and pan-fry both sides; after 5 minutes, remove from the pan and plate, then sprinkle with minced scallion.