Facing Fears, Head On

Since I had put the horrible images of the fish incident behind me, I decided that I was not going to be defeated by ocean creatures with heads. I really want to be able to make lots of seafood dishes and use the fresh ingredients. So I returned to the scene of the crime. This time though, I by-passed the fish.

Instead, I got a bag of shrimp. They call them prawns here. I think they have an aversion to the word "shrimp". Ha ha ha.

This is how they package the fresh shrimp after you pick them out, one by one from the ice trough.
And inside, it looks kind of creepy. See that lone black eye ball staring right at you? I can't look at those. I pretend they're just a birthmark that the shrimp has.
One thing that I experienced in Singapore that I didn't in Kansas is witnessing shrimp with heads. I'd never seen a shrimp head in my life. I found it fascinating just how big they are in comparison to its body.
They also have long tail things attached to their faces. That would suck.

I de-headed all of the shrimp before I cooked them. I know you technically don't have to do that, but I'm pretty sure we all know how I feel about heads by now.
For my first attempt at cooking fresh shrimp, I think I did pretty awesome. The shrimp turned a beautiful pink and cooked up so fast. Then I put them on ice and we had peel-and-eat shrimp cocktail with salads for dinner. How healthy are we? Plus, I think I did well with my "head attached to my food" phobia.
Then Aaron told me he wished they were peeled, deveined and put into a pasta of some sort.

Buttface. So much for appreciating my healthy dinner --and my mental breakthrough.

You can't win 'em all.