Frozen Giant Tiger Prawns

Big banded prawns with head and shell left on, 22 to 26 cm from eye to tail fan. The shell holds the meat together, so it steams in its own juice and stays springy instead of shrinking to a curl.

What It Is

The whole animal, Penaeus monodon, head, legs and tail intact. Dark brown bands run across a pale olive shell; the meat underneath is thick, translucent grey raw and turns opaque white with a bright coral shell once cooked.

Where It Comes From

Farmed in brackish coastal ponds on the tropical Indo-Pacific coast, harvested at size and packed on ice at the pond side. They are then frozen hard within the same working day, so the head stays attached and the shell does not blacken.

Specifications

• Form: Whole, head on, shell on, deveined not required
• Size: 22–26 cm body length, roughly 18–24 pieces per box
• Net weight: 2 kg per box
• Packaging: Individually quick frozen, then boxed in a liner

State

Raw and frozen at −18 °C or colder. Pieces stay separate, so you can take out four and put the rest straight back.

Storage & Shelf Life

• Frozen: up to 12 months at −18 °C
• Thawed: 0–4 °C, cook within 24 hours
• Thawing: overnight in the refrigerator in a covered bowl
• Do not refreeze once fully thawed

Shelf Life & Delivery

Production and best before dates are printed on the box. Boxed with gel ice in an insulated liner and sent on a cold chain; move it to the freezer as soon as it arrives and check that the shell is still firm and the head still attached.

How to Cook

• Steam whole for 4 to 5 minutes until the shell turns bright red, then serve with a dipping sauce
• Split down the back, pack with garlic butter and bake until the meat just sets
• Grill over high heat with salt, black pepper and lemon until the shell chars at the edges
• Stir-fry with ginger and spring onion in a wok hot enough to glaze the shell

Allergens

Contains crustacean shellfish. Packed in a facility that also handles fish and molluscs. Sold as food only, with no health or medical claims.