Kuruma-ebi 車海老

With the vivid stripes on its back and the way its curled body resembles a wheel, it came to be called 'kuruma-ebi' (literally 'wheel prawn').

Some 90% are farmed, but it is said to be one of those prawns that taste excellent whether wild or farmed. It can be enjoyed two ways, boiled or live. Boiling intensifies the sweetness, so choose boiled if flavour matters most to you; if you would rather savour the texture, the 'dancing' style of eating it live and still moving has also grown popular in recent years.

Prawns turn red when boiled, and the kuruma prawn in particular takes on a vivid, beautiful red.

Origin: the Seto Inland Sea, Kyushu Season: wild in summer, farmed in winter