Cleaning shrimp can be a mundane task, yet occasionally, you may find a gel-like orange or pinkish substance hidden within the shellfish, which is essentially roe or shrimp eggs.

Roe is typically only found in shrimp that has been bought fresh and whole from a local seller — not in the frozen variant — and boasts a wide range of culinary applications.

Note that the roe can be orange, pink, yellow, black, or even green in color, and will be clustered underneath the shrimp’s outer carapace — along the stomach and between the legs.

If your shrimp has something resembling roe elsewhere on its body, it may be debris that can be gently rinsed with water. Once you have your roe, there are a few ways to handle it.

You can either separate the roe from the shrimp, ensuring you don’t rupture it, or cook it with the shrimp by cooking the shellfish whole and peeling them right before eating.

For a simple snack, assemble a Swedish shrimp toast. Just toast a few slices of bread, spread on a mixture of mayonnaise, mustard, and dill, and top with a spoonful of shrimp roe.

You can also incorporate shrimp with roe into seafood pasta dishes like shrimp scampi or seafood risotto. Due to its rich appearance, roe can serve as an elegant garnish as well.