Dried shrimp is a very common ingredient in Asian cuisine. In Chinese, it is called 蝦米/虾米 (traditional vs simplified characters) and pronounced xia mi in Mandarin or ha mai in Cantonese. Another common name is 海米 (hai mi).
Mama Lin stores bags of them in her fridge and adds them into nearly everything she cooks—from dumplings, to vegetables and soup. She keeps so much of them that I usually take small bags home with me. Don’t be fooled by their size. Though small, dried shrimp impart a lot of umami flavor to any dish. (Side note: In Chinese, we refer to umami flavor as “甜” (tían), which coincidentally, is also the word used to describe “sweet.” Imagine my confusion when I was learning these Chinese words as a kid.)
To dry the shrimp, shrimp are first soaked in a brine, which acts as a natural preservative, before they are dried in the sun. Larger ones are usually more expensive than the tiny shrimp. Certain sizes of dried shrimp are better suited for different recipes. For example, the larger shrimp are great for flavoring soups, while the very tiny ones are great for dumpling fillings. In general, I like keeping medium-sized dried shrimp in my refrigerator.
HOW TO SELECT DRIED SHRIMP
Dried shrimp are often sold in packages in Asian supermarkets. You might also find them sold in bulk in Chinatown or other large Asian markets. Regardless of the size, you want to select the package with shrimp that have a rich orange color. You want ones that look like the image on the left above, not the shrimp on the right. You do not want shrimp that have a faded orange color with tiny white specks all over. It is an indication that the shrimp has been stored too long or that the shrimp was not properly dried when stored.
HOW TO STORE
Store dried shrimp in the fridge or freezer. They can keep for a very long time. You can store them in a glass jar in the fridge for 3 to 4 months without the color fading. I also like to freeze them in a Ziploc bag to store them for up to a year.
If you buy them in a package, cut open the package and store them in a jar. I once left an unopened bag of dried shrimp in my fridge for months only to find mold when I was ready to use them. If I had opened the package sooner, I would have noticed the discolored shrimp and tossed them.
WAYS TO USE
You can use dried shrimp to flavor stir fries, broths, curries, and even dumplings. I love using it in fried rice, jook (congee), or sticky rice. Mama Lin usually soaks the shrimp in water for 20 to 30 minutes before using it in stir fries. This helps to soften the shrimp. I have stir fried medium and tiny dried shrimp without pre-soaking and I quite like the hard, chewy texture of the shrimp. It’s not for everyone though.
If you plan to make soup or congee, you don’t need to soak the shrimp first, as they will be simmering for quite some time. Simply rinse the shrimp and add them to the pot.
In Burmese cuisine, it is common to soak a lot of dried shrimp, drain them, and crush the shrimp into very small bits. You can do this in a food processor. This shrimp “pulp” is very convenient for cooking, but you should use it within a few weeks.
judi sadan says
Hello Lisa,
I enjoy your Healthy Nibbles & have one question which I hope you can help me. I used to buy & use tiny dried shrimp but this week just found & bought little larger dried shrimp with heads at H Mart in NYC. I searched all over if it is advisable to remove the heads & can’t find an answer anywhere. Should the shrimp be handled differently? These shrimp are crispy compared to the tiny ones which are more soft.
Many thanks!
Judi
Lisa Lin says
Hi, Judi! There are some dried shrimp with the head in tact, and you don’t need to remove them before cooking. It’s not uncommon to eat both the head and body of smaller shrimp in Asian cuisine.
MIRANDA says
Hi I have a Malaysian laksa recipe that requires dried shrimp but all I can find is dried shrimp skin. Will this substitute ok?
Lisa Lin says
I think you’ll get a similar umami flavor.
Amanda Smith says
Hi my recipe for Som Tum asks for dried shrimp crushed and put in the salad dressing, should I pre cook the shrimp before putting in salad dressing. Thankyou.
Lisa Lin says
You can do that just to be safe. I’m going to assume the recipe writer didn’t do that because the dried shrimp should be cooked already after extensive drying (think of it like jerky).
Sharon Nutt says
Thank you for honoring the food and traditions of your childhood and sharing them with the world of people who do not have such a rich culinary heritage❤️
wordle today says
Hello there I have a Malaysian laksa recipe that requires dried shrimp however everything I can find is dried shrimp skin. Will this substitute alright?
Molly says
Thank you for sharing! I can’t wait to use dried shrimp in recipes! As a Latina growing up in SO CAL I remember my dad, originally from Texas enjoying dried shrimp in foods that he prepared strictly for his own enjoyment. 😁 I’ve never used them in cooking, but am excited to incorporate them into my cooking after reading this article!
lolbeans says
I have never eaten it before. I will try it. Thanks for sharing
Jessica says
Lol I had no idea how to use these and stir fried them without soaking. I loved it! Now I am glad I know others like this too! I can’t wait to learn how to use them in various dishes! This article was really helpful! Thank you!
Lisa Lin says
Thanks, Jessica!
Vicki Voecks says
Can you eat dried shrimp by itself like a snack?
Lisa Lin says
I wouldn’t just grab random dried shrimp to eat because I’m not sure what the cleaning process is across different brands.
cuphead online says
For many people, they still think that fresh food is the best, but when they enjoy a bowl of soup cooked with dried shrimp, their concept has changed. The use of dry food is popular in Asia because they realize the delicious taste and sweetness when cooking dry food.