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Dried shrimp

Small shrimp that are salted and sun-dried.

A heap of tiny dried shrimp on a market table — Dried shrimp at a market. Photo: Si Gam, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

At a glance

Chinese: 蝦米 (Cantonese haa1 mai5; Mandarin xiā mǐ)

What it is

Small shrimp that are salted and sun-dried. They are chewy and very savoury.

How we use it

Rinse, then soak in warm water until soft. Keep the soaking water for soups and sauces. Fry them with vermicelli, gourd or rice.

Check the label

They are shellfish, so not suitable for a shellfish allergy.

Where to find it in Hong Kong

Dried-goods shops sell them loose by weight. Packed versions are in supermarkets.

Substitutes

There is no close swap. A little fish sauce adds a similar savoury note.

Dishes here that use it

Hairy gourd vermicelli with dried shrimp (80)

Sources

Facts on this page come from these pages. We have summarised them in our own words.