Fish

Black Tiger Prawn

A tier

Black tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) is a large striped penaeid once dominant in Asian aquaculture and still prized for impressive size and firm, snappy texture. Dark banding on the raw shell gives the name; cooked meat is pink with a sweeter, more pronounced shellfish taste than whiteleg. Heads and shells yield excellent stock. Grill head-on over charcoal, butterflied with chilli-lime, or pan-sear for satay and hot pots. Larger tigers suit showpiece plating; smaller ones work in soups. Cook hot and fast—the firm flesh stays bouncy when just opaque down the centre line. Wild or carefully farmed lots outperform poorly handled frozen blocks.