Today, December 20, 2013, is National Fried Shrimp Day. In biological terms, shrimp and prawns belong to different suborders of Decapoda, however they are very similar in appearance and in commercial farming and fisheries, the terms are often used interchangeably. Recent aquaculture literature increasingly uses the term "prawn" only for the freshwater forms of palaemonids and "shrimp" for the marine penaeids. Shrimp and prawns are versatile ingredients. Common methods of preparation include baking, boiling, frying and grilling. They are as delicate as eggs in regards cooking time. When they are overcooked, they have a tough and rubbery texture. Remove them from the heat when they just start to change color to pink.
