Mantis shrimp

It has sweet, delicate flesh, often compared with lobster or prawns, though its texture is usually firmer. The flavour is best kept simple with garlic, butter, lemon or a light chilli sauce.

For whole mantis shrimp, boil or steam them until the shells turn bright orange and the flesh is opaque, usually about 3–5 minutes for small ones. Avoid prolonged cooking, which makes the meat tough; split larger ones lengthways and grill the flesh briefly.

Use kitchen scissors to cut along both sides of the hard shell, then lift it away and pull out the flesh. The shell edges can be sharp, so hold the shrimp with a tea towel and keep your fingers clear.

It is safer to cook mantis shrimp thoroughly rather than eat it raw: raw shellfish can carry harmful microbes. Cook until the flesh is opaque and hot throughout.

Keep it cold in the fridge and cook it as soon as possible, ideally the day you buy it. For longer storage, freeze it promptly in an airtight container; thaw it in the fridge, not on the worktop.

Add peeled mantis shrimp to seafood pasta, risotto or a quick stir-fry, putting it in near the end so it does not overcook. In Italian cooking, it is known as canocchie or cicale di mare and is often served simply, grilled or boiled.

Yes. Use peeled mantis shrimp in place of prawns in pasta, curries or fried rice, but cook it for less time because its lean flesh can turn firm quickly.

Mantis shrimp is the common name for a marine crustacean in the order Stomatopoda, not a true shrimp. Its front limbs resemble those of a praying mantis, which is the source of the name.