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Dried shrimp

Fish & seafood · Shellfish

Dried shrimp

Small shrimp salted and sun-dried until hard; a savoury, umami seasoning in Asian, African and Latin American cooking.

Also called: dried prawns, sukhe jhinge, sungta (dried), galmbo, kolambi (dried), hae bee, xiami

A kind of prawns / shrimp

6 recipes with it

Photo: Humanfeather / Michelle Jo, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-3.0)

What it is

Dried shrimp are tiny to small shrimp that have been boiled in brine, peeled (or not) and dried. They are orange-pink, hard and intensely savoury, used in small amounts as a seasoning rather than as the main protein. They are whole, unlike ground crayfish powder or shrimp paste.

How it’s used

  • Pounded into sambal, papaya salad and XO sauce
  • Stir-fried with vegetables and noodles
  • Sticky rice, turnip cake and dumpling fillings
  • Brazilian vatapá and acarajé
  • Konkani and Bengali chutneys and dry curries

Characteristics

Taste
Salty, sweet and intensely umami.
Texture
Hard and chewy; softer after soaking.
When cooked
Soak in warm water for 10–20 minutes to soften; the soaking water is full of flavour.
Sold as
dried
Cooking uses
Mainly a seasoning, Commonly cooked

Storage

Refrigerated. Keep sealed in the fridge or freezer for longest life; in warm kitchens they can go rancid or attract pests.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Crustaceans.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Contains crustacean shellfish, one of the most common and serious food allergens; reactions can be severe and also occur from cooking steam or shared oil.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
290 kcal
Protein
62.82 g
Carbohydrate
0 g
Fat
2.37 g
Fibre
0 g
Sugars
0 g

USDA FoodData Central: Fish, cod, Atlantic, dried and salted (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

Related ingredients

Recipes with dried shrimp

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