Dried shrimp is an ingredient that is found in so many dishes in South East Asia.
Dried shrimp are an ingredient that often get overlooked by home cooks. These tiny dried crustaceans pack a flavor punch, but many people aren’t quite sure what to do with them. As a chef and dried shrimp enthusiast, I’m here to convince you to give this unique ingredient a chance!
In this complete guide, I’ll walk through everything you need to know about cooking with dried shrimp. You’ll learn how to buy, store, soak, and integrate dried shrimp into all sorts of savory dishes. From soups and stir fries to rice, pasta, and more, dried shrimp can seriously elevate your cooking. Let’s dive in!
Before we get cooking, let’s start with the basics Dried shrimp are whole, peeled shrimp that have been sun-dried or dehydrated This preservation process condenses their flavor, resulting in an intensely savory, umami-rich product.
Dried shrimp range in size from tiny 1⁄2 inch bits to larger 1-2 inch pieces. You’ll often see them sold in bulk bags at Asian grocery stores and markets. When stored properly in a cool, dry place they can last for up to 6 months.
The drying process gives dried shrimp a chewy, jerky-like texture. Don’t expect these to be tender like regular shrimp. Their appeal lies in their super concentrated flavor rather than their texture.
Buying Dried Shrimp
When shopping for dried shrimp, look for ones that are orangey-pink in color rather than yellowish. Avoid any with black spots or a strong fishy odor. The best dried shrimp smell pleasantly briny and seafood-like.
Opt for bags labeled “wild caught” over “farmed” shrimp when possible for better flavor. Also inspect the size–some recipes work better with small or large shrimp pieces.
Purchase dried shrimp from trusted Asian grocery stores for the best price, quality, and selection. Or order them conveniently online if you don’t live near an Asian market.
Pro tip: Buy dried shrimp in bulk quantities to save money and always have them on hand!
Storing Dried Shrimp
Keep dried shrimp in an airtight container in a cool, dry spot away from light. A sealed glass jar or rigid plastic container works best.
If stored properly in the pantry, dried shrimp will keep for about 6 months before losing flavor and aroma. After opening, try to use within a couple months.
Check dried shrimp periodically for moisture or signs of spoilage like black spots or a sour smell. Discard any that appear off.
Refrigerating or freezing dried shrimp can extend their shelf life, but this isn’t necessary if you store them correctly.
Rehydrating Dried Shrimp
Before cooking with dried shrimp, you’ll need to rehydrate them by soaking in liquid. This plumps them up and makes them easier to cut or grind.
Soak dried shrimp in hot tap water for 15-20 minutes until softened and pliable. I like to soak mine in a mesh strainer or colander so they’re easy to drain.
You can also soak dried shrimp in vegetable or chicken broth instead of plain water to infuse more flavor. Just heat the broth first to fully rehydrate the shrimp.
Once soaked, rinse the shrimp and pat dry with paper towels before chopping or incorporating into recipes.
Cutting and Grinding Dried Shrimp
Dried shrimp are easier to eat when chopped up or ground into smaller pieces. This also helps them better blend into soups, sauces, and other dishes.
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Chopped: Roughly mince into smaller pieces using a sharp knife or kitchen shears.
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Ground: Process rehydrated dried shrimp in a food processor or spice grinder into a fine powder or paste.
Grinding dried shrimp is great for turning them into a seasoning. Just be sure your appliance is completely dry first.
Cooking with Dried Shrimp
Now, let’s get to the fun part–cooking with these flavor bombs! Here are some of my favorite ways to use dried shrimp:
Enhance Soups and Broths
Rehydrated dried shrimp make an easy umami booster for soups, stews, chowders, and broths. Simply soak and add whole or chopped shrimp to simmering liquid. Some classic soup recipes to try them in:
- Shrimp and miso soup
- Tom yum or tom kha gai soup
- Seafood bisque or gumbo
- Ramen or udon noodle soup
- Wonton or egg drop soup
- Vegetable or seafood chowder
Dried shrimp also excellently tone up vegetable or chicken broths with their savory depth.
Season Rice Dishes
Incorporating chopped or ground dried shrimp is a staple technique in Asian fried rice and rice bowl recipes. They provide a savory base of flavor.
Try dried shrimp in recipes like:
- Shrimp fried rice
- Garlic shrimp rice
- Shrimp biryani or pilaf
- Nasi goreng (Indonesian fried rice)
- Shrimp taco bowls
- Cajun shrimp and grits
You can also use dried shrimp powder as a seasoning rub for proteins like chicken, fish, or shrimp that you’ll serve over rice.
Amp Up Stir-Fries
The intense flavor of dried shrimp goes well with assertive Asian-style stir fries. First soak and chop the shrimp, then sauté them with aromatics like garlic, ginger, and chilies before adding your veggies and protein.
Some tasty stir-fry options:
- Shrimp and veggie stir-fry
- Singapore noodles
- Pad Thai with shrimp
- Garlic shrimp and green beans
- Stir fried bok choy with shrimp
- Kung pao shrimp
Flavor Vegetables and Beans
Dried shrimp add a savory boost to otherwise mild veggies and beans. Use them to transform boring side dishes into something special.
- Sauté dried shrimp with spinach, kale or other greens
- Add to roasted vegetable medleys
- Mix into creamy mashed potatoes
- Toss with roasted Brussels sprouts or broccoli
- Cook in dal, chickpeas, or white beans
Punch Up Pasta Dishes
In pasta, dried shrimp lend their briny flavor to sauces and mixes-ins. Chop rehydrated shrimp and add to:
- Spaghetti with shrimp in tomato sauce
- Shrimp scampi linguine
- Shrimp carbonara
- Pad Thai noodles
- Lo mein or chow mein noodles
- Shrimp mac and cheese
Make Unique Dips and Spreads
Soak dried shrimp in broth, then blend into a paste to mix into dips, spreads, and sauces:
- Shrimp pesto or chimichurri
- Spicy shrimp dip
- Shrimp and bean hummus
- Shrimp cream cheese wontons
- Shrimp guacamole
- Shrimp salsa
The possibilities are endless! Dried shrimp can seriously enhance so many dishes.
Handling Dried Shrimp Allergies
One important note–dried shrimp contain shellfish and should be avoided by anyone with a shellfish allergy. Always inform guests if a dish contains dried shrimp.
For those wanting to recreate the flavor without the allergen risk, you can swap dried shiitake mushrooms in some recipes calling for dried shrimp.
Discover the Power of Dried Shrimp
Rehydrating and cutting dried shrimp takes just a few extra minutes, but pays off big time in terms of flavor. Keep a bag on hand and incorporate them into soups, stir fries, rice dishes, pastas, dips, and more.
Once you experience dried shrimp’s incredible taste and versatility in your cooking, you’ll never see this humble ingredient the same way again. Now get out there and start shrimping up your dishes!
What are Dried Shrimp?
Dried shrimp are shrimp that have been dried in the sun. They have a strong flavor and smell and are chewy if eaten whole. You will find them used in many cuisines around the world, across the oceans.
I grew up calling them udang kering, which is what they are known as in the Malay language. In Singapore and Malaysia, most people of different ethnic groups know how to pronounce certain foods and ingredients in one of our languages. Dried shrimp is a great example of this.
- Udang = Prawns/Shrimp
- Kering = Dried
- Dried Shrimp = udang kering
Every country in East and South East Asia needs dried shrimp, whether it’s China, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, or Thailand.
How to Use Dried Shrimp
They are graded according to size, which to a large extent, determines how they are prepared and used. The larger the shrimp, the higher the grade. But that doesn’t mean that the tiny ones are of poor quality, they are just used differently. And unlike the slightly bigger ones, tiny shrimp have their shells left on.
You can use udang kering in so many different ways. In South East Asia, it is used an an ingredient. It’s usually ground up and used in spice pastes for recipes, like in Laksa, or salad dressings, like Thai Green Papaya Salad. However to all you Thai food lovers, you’ll recognise it as the floss topping on Pad Thai.
It is commonly used in:
- curries, stews and gumbos
- flavoured rice like fried rice and nasi ulam
- noodles, both fried and in sauce like mee siam
- stir-fries like kangkung belacan
- dumplings
- in hot sauces and chilli pastes
In South East Asian recipes, dried shrimp is often used chopped or ground. However, this does depend on the size as well as the recipe. Traditionally, they are soaked in hot water to soften, before being ground up or pounded.
Here on LinsFood and my other blog, Singaporean and Malaysian Recipes, so many of our recipes use udang kering in the base or spice paste.
How to use Dried Shrimp
How to cook dried shrimp to perfection?
Here are some tips on how to cook dried shrimp to perfection. When using dried shrimp in your recipes, it’s important to rehydrate them properly before cooking. Start by rinsing the dried shrimp in cold water to remove any excess salt or debris. Then, soak the shrimp in warm water for about 15-20 minutes, or until they become plump and tender.
Can I eat raw shrimp?
Eating raw shrimp is not recommended. Raw shrimp can contain bacteria that can cause food poisoning. It is also a good source of purines, which can trigger gout attacks. If you want to eat shrimp, cook it thoroughly to reduce the risk of food poisoning and to help prevent gout attacks. Cook shrimp until it is opaque and pink to ensure that it is safe to eat.
What can you do with dried shrimp?
Dried shrimp can be used in a variety of dishes to enhance their taste. They are commonly added to stir-fries, soups, fried rice, and noodle dishes. They can also be ground into a powder or soaked in water to rehydrate them before using. Can I substitute dried shrimp with fresh shrimp in recipes?
What is dried shrimp?
Dried shrimp is made of fresh shrimp that’s been soaked, cooked in salt water, and then left to dry out in the sun for an extended time. Usually, for days until the cooked shrimp is completely dried and shrink into hardened tiny shrimp pieces. Once the shrimp’s been dehydrated, shells are left on, peeled off, and packaged for sale to consumers.