Ebi Prawn and Shrimp Varieties Japanese Preparation

Origin

Japan — prawn fishing throughout coastal Japan; Toyama Bay (deep-sea botan ebi), Ise Bay (kuruma ebi), Tokyo Bay (shiba ebi historically), and Suruga Bay (sakura ebi) as regional speciality production areas

Description

Ebi (海老/蝦, prawns and shrimp) occupy a central position across Japanese culinary categories from sushi to tempura to soup. Japan uses multiple species with distinct applications: Kuruma ebi (tiger prawn, Marsupenaeus japonicus) — the premium live prawn for sukiyaki, grilling, and high-end kaiseki; Botan ebi (spotted shrimp, Pandalus nipponensis) — bright red spotted, primarily from Hokkaido, eaten raw as sashimi for their particularly sweet, briny character; Amaebi (sweet shrimp, Pandalus eous) — small, cold-water shrimp with extraordinary sweetness, served sashimi with heads fried separately; Shiba ebi (small Tokyo Bay shrimp) — historically used in Edo-period sushi; Sakura ebi (cherry shrimp, Sergestidae) — tiny, dried, from Suruga Bay near Shizuoka, used as a topping.

III

The Thread

—Both Japanese kuruma ebi whole-grilled and Spanish gambas al ajillo cook prawns whole with heads on — both traditions recognise the superior flavour when head juices and fat are allowed to permeate the body during cooking Spanish

—Both Japanese and Cantonese prawn preparations value live prawns and use high-heat brief cooking to preserve the natural sweetness and firm texture — both traditions have developed specific cut and preparation techniques for different prawn species Chinese

Flavour Context

Varies dramatically by species: kuruma ebi is rich and savoury with firm bite; amaebi is sweet and cold-water briny, almost confectionery-sweet; botan ebi is complex with a distinctive spotted spotted-shrimp sweetness; sakura ebi is intensely concentrated and oceanic

Pillars V — VII

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