Whole penaeid shrimp with the head and shell left on, carrying the bold dark banding across the back that gives the species its name. The body is thick and the flesh is dense, so it holds its shape on a grill or in a curry instead of shrinking to a curl.

Origin

Caught and farmed in the warm coastal waters of the Indo-Pacific, then graded by count and frozen whole so the head stays attached.

Specification

• 2 kg box, head-on and shell-on
• 30 to 40 pieces per kilogram, roughly 25 to 33 g each
• Frozen as individual pieces, not pressed into a block
• Net weight without glaze water

Condition

Raw and frozen. Because the pieces stay loose in the box, a portion can be poured out and the rest returned to the freezer.

Storage

• Keep at −18 °C or colder from delivery to cooking
• Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, never on the counter top
• Cook within 24 hours of thawing and never refreeze a thawed pack

Shelf life and delivery

• Best before 18 months from the production date printed on the pack
• Packed in an insulated liner with gel packs and shipped on a cold chain
• Move the box straight to the freezer on arrival and check the pack is still firm

How to cook

• Split along the back, devein, and grill shell-side down with garlic butter
• Blanch for 2 minutes and serve cold with soy and wasabi
• Batter and deep-fry for 90 seconds at 180 °C
• Simmer in coconut curry for 5 minutes at the very end of cooking

Allergens

Contains crustaceans (shellfish). Not suitable for crustacean allergies.