English Name: Dried Shrimp
Chinese Name: 蝦米 (Mandarin: xiāmǐ/ Cantomese: haa1mai5)

What are dried shrimps?

• Dried shrimps are made from fresh shrimp that are dried and then preserved with salt.
• Salty to the taste, dried shrimp can be used for cooking or snacking.
• It is a very common ingredient in Cantonese dishes.

How do I select dried shrimp?

• Fresh dried shrimp has an orange or pink hue.
• Conduct a sniff test for freshness; it should have a strong fragrant fishy smell. If you don’t smell anything, most likely it has gone stale.
• For stir-fry dishes, casserole, stews and soups use medium to large shrimp because it adds great flavor and texture to a dish.
• Smaller shrimp are used in specialty recipes such as dried shrimp rice noddle rolls 蝦米腸粉.

How do I prepare it?

• Rinse well under running water to remove dirt.
• Soak briefly to soften (10 min. minimum depending on size).

How do I store it?

• Dried shrimp can be kept for months, keep it in the refrigerator or in a cool dry place.
• Stale ones turn gray and become flavorless.