Is the kuruma prawn a river shrimp or a sea shrimp, and how does it compare with the greasyback shrimp, and how much does it cost per jin?
The kuruma prawn, also known as the Japanese tiger prawn, can be found in coastal areas such as Guangdong and Fujian in China. Its meat is thick and its shell is full, and it is rich in protein, mineral elements and vitamins, which makes it quite popular. Most importantly, compared with ordinary shrimp, its price is not high, and most people can afford it, so is the kuruma prawn a river shrimp or a sea shrimp? How does it compare with the greasyback shrimp? How much does it cost per jin?
Is the kuruma prawn a river shrimp or a sea shrimp?
The kuruma prawn is a sea shrimp, also called the Japanese tiger prawn.
The Japanese tiger prawn, English name: Penaeus(Marsupenaeus)japonicusBate, commonly known as: flower shrimp, kuruma prawn, flower-tail shrimp, banded prawn, kuruma shrimp, belongs to the phylum Arthropoda, class Crustacea, order Decapoda, suborder Natantia, family Penaeidae, genus Penaeus, a crustacean animal with a pointed rostrum. Smaller prawns are called prawn money. Among prawns produced in China, those from the Tianjin river mouth with red tails and red claws are the best. The peak fishing seasons are April to May and September to October.
Prawns are mainly produced in China's Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea and the western coast of Korea. There are many species produced in oceans around the world, including Chinese prawn, Japanese tiger prawn, banded prawn, banana prawn, long-haired prawn, short-groove prawn and others.
Differences from the greasyback shrimp
The kuruma prawn, that is, the Japanese tiger prawn, was first farmed starting in Japan and is also the most important farmed species. In recent years, southern coastal areas of China such as Fujian and Guangdong have also begun farming it. The body surface of the kuruma prawn has blue-brown transverse banded patterns, and the tip of the tail is blue. The shell is thin and hard, and the meat is thick and substantial. This shrimp is not large in size, and the common weight of a single one on the market is between half a liang and one liang.
The greasyback shrimp, that is, the Metapenaeus. The greasyback shrimp is bred in freshwater and farmed in seawater enclosures, and its name comes from “enclosure-based farming.” The greasyback shrimp resembles the prawn in form, but its shell is softer than that of the prawn, and its body is not as large as the prawn, generally about the size of a middle finger. The yield is relatively high in the estuary sea areas along the coast of Guangdong, and the body is plump, the shell thin, and the meat fresh and crisp. Juvenile greasyback shrimp (not more than 6cm) are dark green to deep green, and adult shrimp (6cm and above) are light brownish yellow, with the body covered in dense light brown dots. Some people on the market pass off white shrimp (oriental prawn) as greasyback shrimp, so when selecting you should pay attention: first look at the color, second look at the spots.
In addition, in terms of price:
Kuruma prawns are already on the market in Qingdao at 50 yuan/500g. Greasyback shrimp price: 80 yuan/500g. Depending on the region, purchase price and quality, its price is between 120 and 150 yuan.
How much does it cost per jin?
The kuruma prawn is not large in size, and the common weight of a single one on the market is between half a liang and one liang.
Kuruma prawns are in season. This shrimp is especially tender and juicy, with a slight sweetness, and no fishy shrimp smell at all, but the cooking time must be just right. After the steam rises, put them in the steamer for five or six minutes and that is enough! Friends traveling to Qingdao should remember to give them a try. The market price is 50 yuan per jin.