2233 days ago

Recipe: Fried Garlic Prawns with Mayo

New Zealand School of Food & Wine

Prawns are a fast and convenient choice of protein for the busy cook. Straight freezer, they can defrost quickly and be pan-seared to make a delicious dinner course.

Prawns can be confusing. Firstly, they are referred to as crustaceans and are also sold by size -shrimps are small and prawns are larger. There are both freshwater and marine varieties. Most prawns are imported frozen into NZ although there is growing local supply. So when you see “fresh” prawns they have generally been defrosted. Fresh prawns in many cases appear green or grey and it is only when cooked, that the colour changes to what we recognise as “pink” prawns. If you buy prawns or scrimps that are pink, this means that they have been cooked.

Then, there are a series of questions to ask:
• Do you cook them in their shells or peel before cooking?
• Do you remove the head and just cook the tail?
• Do you remove the vein (intestinal tract) or black line that runs down the back?

You can use prawns for the same recipe whether they are peeled or deveined. Many people believe that cooking prawns with the shell will enhance the flavour of the broth and result in more succulent prawn meat. The downside is that they are a bit messier to eat. To peel the prawns, you just need to wriggle them a little and ease off the shell, piece by piece.

There is no big deal about cooking prawns with the head on – it is more a cultural thing about people not wanting to see the eyes! The head pulls off easily if you twist it. The tip of the tail can be removed in the same way.
The prawn is de-veined or has the intestinal tract removed as many consider it the prawn more attractive without the black line. It also removes the prawn's stomach waste so that you do not need to eat it! See below for the method.

Like all seafood, prawns should be eaten as soon as possible and not left in the refrigerator for days. If they smell off when you come to cook them, your only choice is to throw them out!

Fried in garlic and paired with home-made mayo showcases these crustaceans at their best.

Check out the full recipe on the link below.

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More messages from your neighbours
11 hours ago

Scam Alert: Bank cold calls

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

ASB is warning customers about reports of cold calls from scammers claiming to be from ASB. These scammers are trying to obtain personal information, including usernames, dates of birth, and verification codes sent to your mobile phone.

🛡️ The "Caller Check" Test
If you get a call from someone claiming to be from ASB and you’re unsure, just ask them for a Caller Check. You will then be able to verify the call through the app.

Remember, banks will:​​
❌ Never ask for your banking passwords, PINs, or verification codes​​
❌ Never need to know your full credit card number – especially the CVC
❌ Never ask you to download software or remotely access your device​​
❌ Never ask you to purchase gift cards or transfer funds.

If you have received a phone call and think your account has been compromised, call ASB on 0800 ASB FRAUD (0800 272 372), or visit your local branch.

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3 days ago

🧩😏 Riddle me this, Neighbours…

The Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

I am an odd number. Take away a letter and I become even. What number am I?

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5 hours ago

Onepoto Park

Denise from Birkenhead

A month ago I witnessed a huge drum of chemicals on the back of a boat being sprayed deep into the water for apparently to remove the algae, I asked the co worker why he would do this and I had hoped it would not upset the 60-80 ducks that live on the water, he said they would have to drink a lot of water to be affected. I said "well, what else do they drink!" I told him I rescued ducks and place them into this pond when they are well enough and always in small groups so they have an adopted family of their own and not be lonely.
Since this I have witnessed the duck life very sick and dying, their feathers are falling off their wee bodies and they are trying to swim without feathers and eventually die...I am so upset witnessing this and every week there are fewer ducks, On Tuesday I only saw 10 ducks.
The regular lawn mower man for this park said he is very concerned as he and I felt it like a ghost pond as their were none in sight ! I feed all birdlife once a week here and the birds are always waiting for my visit. Usually 100-200 including pigeons, seagulls, pukeko's sparrow and ducks. Even the Pukeko's are missing, yes you may well say they have flew off somewhere but I have been frequenting this park and others for the past 15 months and never seen it so empty for this time of the year.... the council are accepting no liability and I am helpless to know where to take this further. I have witnesses and the lawn mower man says the pond was always clear years ago and he can't understand why it is so bad... the bridge has been blocked off underneath and the filth is disgusting and this is where some of the dead birds have been found. The chemicals are not making it better and my question is, why can't it be kept clean in an organic way and build the pond life with healthy plants to nourish the growth and feed the birdlife.