Mantis shrimp or stomatopods are marine crustaceans, the members of the order Stomatopoda. They are neither shrimp nor mantids, but receive their name purely from the physical resemblance to both the terrestrial praying mantis and the shrimp. Mantis shrimp appear in a variety of colours, from shades of browns to bright neon colours.
Mantis shrimp called “sea locusts” by ancient Assyrians, “prawn killers” in Australia and now sometimes referred to as “thumb splitters” by modern divers.
In Japanese cuisine, the mantis shrimp is eaten raw as sashimi and as a sushi topping, and is called shako. In Cantonese cuisine, the mantis shrimp is a popular dish known as “pissing shrimp” ( Mandarin pinyin: lài niào xiā, modern Cantonese: laaih niuh hā) because of their tendency to shoot a jet of water when picked up. After cooking, their flesh is closer to that of lobsters than that of shrimp, and like lobsters, their shells are quite hard and require some pressure to crack.
In the Mediterranean countries the mantis shrimp Squilla mantis is a common seafood, especially on the Adriatic coasts.
You can find authentic Thai Mantis Shrimp Food on many Thai Restaurants in Los Angeles.
