There are few sushi and sashimi items cooler than ama ebi. But this raw shrimp can be intimidating to Westerners for obvious reasons.
This post aims to ease those fears. Learn about this shrimp species, what it tastes like, how to prepare it, and more.
What is Ama Ebi?
Ama ebi, or sweet shrimp, is a popular menu item at sushi restaurants. Sweet shrimp is often served raw, unlike regular ebi sushi.
Nigiri and sashimi are the most popular preparations for this shrimp. The head is often fried and served with the raw body.
Red or pink shrimp (aka ebi) is another common name for this type of shrimp.
There are several types of ebi served in sushi restaurants, especially in Japan. Ama ebi refers to the northern prawn, Pandalus borealis eous. Some consider Pacific northern prawns to be a separate species: Pandalus eous.
Pandalus platyceros is another shrimp species, and it’s often a substitute for northern prawns. This shrimp is sometimes called an Alaskan prawn or California spot prawn.
What Does Ama Ebi Taste Like?
Ama ebi is indeed sweet. Its texture is firm, almost crunchy. And the flavor is very clean with subtle umami.
Many Western diners are afraid to eat raw shrimp. But sweet shrimp are very tasty and not at all funky or weird.
Ama Ebi Fishery
Northern prawns are harvested in the North Pacific. They are short-lived species with high seasonal population variability. Harvest rates have been steadily increasing over the last several decades.
This fishery has been considered sustainable. However, rising ocean temperatures and natural population fluctuations do pose a threat.
Overfishing has occurred in several Atlantic populations of northern prawns. And a few fisheries have been canceled in recent years.
Sweet Shrimp Sushi
Sweet shrimp sushi is a classic Japanese dish. Ama ebi nigiri sushi is the standard presentation. This consists of raw sweet shrimp over a finger of sushi rice. The tail remains on the body, but the head is removed. The head is usually fried and served with the sweet shrimp nigiri.
How to Make Sweet Shrimp Sushi
Making sweet shrimp sushi at home isn’t difficult.
But make sure that the shrimp is sushi grade. This means fresh and frozen to remove parasites.
It’s not safe to consume raw shrimp directly from the ocean. They must be frozen first at very low temperatures.
Check out this how-to video on making sushi rice if you’re unfamiliar with the process. It was produced by master sushi chef Taichi Kitamura and ChefSteps.
And check out the How To Sushi video below to learn how to make sweet shrimp sushi.
Sweet Shrimp Sashimi
Sashimi ama ebi is only slightly less popular than nigiri. The flavor of fresh, raw sweet shrimp is delicate. So some diners prefer to skip the sushi rice.
Ama Ebi Sashimi Prep
The preparation for sweet shrimp sashimi is similar to nigiri sushi. The lack of sushi rice is the only difference. Check out the helpful video above on preparing sushi sweet shrimp.
Odori Ebi – Dancing Shrimp
Sweet shrimp is sometimes eaten while still alive or just killed. The legs and antennae will be moving or “dancing.” The shrimp is often dunked in sake then chewed.
Odori ebi (躍り海老) is served as sashimi without rice.
Ebi no Atama: Shrimp Heads
Raw ama ebi is usually accompanied by its fried head. The full name for this is ebi no atama no suage (えびの頭の素揚げ), or fried shrimp head. But the word atama, or head, works just fine.
Atama does not need a batter. However, some restaurants use tempura.
To eat the fried shrimp head, simply grab the spiny antennae and eat the rest. No sauce is needed.
Where to Buy Sweet Shrimp for Sushi & Sashimi
There are a variety of places online to buy sushi-grade ama ebi. Also, look for high-end seafood markets on the Pacific coast and the northeast Atlantic coast.
Sushi or sashimi-grade means that the fresh sweet shrimp are deeply frozen just after harvest. This kills parasites and maintains freshness. Even extremely fresh ama ebi must be frozen below 0°C.
31 Days of Sushi
If you find this post useful or enjoyable, I suggest you check out some of the other content in my 31 Days of Sushi campaign. Every day in August I’ll share a new piece of content. Topics are centered around nigiri and maki sushi. I include sashimi info, as well.
Share Your Thoughts on Ama Ebi!
Do you love ama ebi, or does it gross you out? It definitely scared me in the past. Now it’s one of my favorite sushi and sashimi items.
Also, do you have a favorite restaurant that serves sweet shrimp?
Please share your thoughts by commenting below!