Dried small shrimp
Small shrimp cooked, shelled and dried into orange nuggets, the workhorse dried seafood of the southern Chinese kitchen. Soaked just five to ten minutes and often sizzled in oil first, they release a salty-sweet prawn savour that anchors quick soups of winter melon, hairy gourd, vermicelli or laver. Over-soaking washes the flavour away.
TCM properties
Nature · warming Flavour · sweet、salty Meridians · kidney
Traditional food therapy
In Cantonese food therapy it is regarded as kidney-supporting, with folk tradition also using it in soups for nursing mothers; day to day it is prized simply for lifting the savour of the pot.
Cautions: read first
- High in sodium, so taste before you add any salt
- Avoid if you are allergic to seafood
- Take care if you have gout
- A short soak is all they need; a long soak washes the flavour out
Preparation
Soak for 5 to 10 minutes, then sizzle them in a hot oiled wok until golden and the prawn fragrance comes up, before adding the water.
Origin
The Guangdong coast, where the golden-hook grade (金鈎) is considered the finest. Common at Australian Asian grocers; pack origins rarely stated
Availability in Australia
Easy to find
