Although shrimp can be prepared in a number of ways, butterfly shrimp tastes the best, as it not only looks visually appealing, but also because of the way it is presented, it has more surface area for the marinade to penetrate. The most important thing to remember while preparing this dish, is to cook the shrimp for a very short time, because overcooked shrimp do not taste good.
Garlic Butterflied Shrimp
Ingredients
- Shrimp, 250 g.
- Butter, ½ cup (plain, unsalted)
- Garlic, ¼ cup (minced)
- Salt, 1 tsp.
- Black pepper, ½ tsp. (freshly ground)
Method to Butterfly the Shrimp
Peel the shrimp, but do not remove the tail. Take a sharp knife and insert it into the underside of the shrimp starting from the head region. Make an incision from the head to the tail, taking care not to cut all the way through. Use your fingers to open the shrimp and flatten it out like an opened book. Remove veins from the shrimp with the tip of the knife.
Cooking Instructions
Heat a small skillet or a non stick frying pan and add the butter. Stir in the minced garlic when the butter begins to melt and sauté the garlic until it is golden brown and fragrant. Remove from flame and transfer the garlic and butter mixture into a small bowl. Lightly grease a baking tray with the garlic butter mixture and place the shrimp on it. Pour in the rest of the garlic butter mixture, reserving a little along with salt and pepper and cook on a moderately hot oven for 6 to 7 minutes. When the shrimp are opaque and cooked through, transfer it to a plate and serve with lime wedges.
Coconut Butterflied Shrimp
Ingredients
- Shrimp, 250 g. (butterflied)
- Coconut, 1 cup (shredded)
- Milk, 6 tbsp.
- Flour, ½ cup
- Vegetable oil, 8 tbsp.
- Demerara sugar, 1 tbsp.
- Egg, 1 large
- Salt, ½ tsp.
Cooking Instructions
In a large bowl, mix together the egg, sugar, and milk until you get a fairly thick mixture. Now add the flour and the salt and whisk until everything is well combined. Place the shredded coconut on a small plate or tray evenly. Take a shrimp and dip it in the flour and egg batter. Shake off excess batter and roll the shrimp on the shredded coconut to coat it evenly. Coat all the shrimp in this way by first dipping it in the batter and rolling it in shredded coconut. Heat the vegetable oil in the frying pan and when it is hot, drop the shrimp into the oil. Fry them for 3 to 4 minutes until they turn crisp and golden brown. Remove the shrimp from the pan and place them on a plate layered with kitchen napkins to get rid of the excess oil. Serve hot with mint and coriander dip.
Butterfly Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients
- Shrimp, 250 g. (butterflied)
- Garlic, 5 cloves (minced)
- Lemon juice, 2 tbsp.
- Butter, 4 tbsp. (unsalted)
- Onion, ½ cup (chopped)
- Salt, ½ tsp.
- Parsley, ¼ cup (chopped)
- Pepper, ½ tsp.
- Dry white wine, ¼ cup
Cooking Instructions
Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter melts, add the minced garlic and cook until they turn translucent. Add the shrimp along with the salt, pepper, lime juice, chopped onions, and dry white wine. Cook them until the shrimp turn pink and tender. Transfer to a plate and serve with a sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley.
As shrimp are quite delicate and have their own distinctive flavor, do not use too many spices and condiments.
