Wind-dried shrimps – A delicacy food in Sóc Trăng province

Wind-dried shrimps are a product of Hưng Phú collective farm in Cù Lao Dung island of Sóc Trăng province, Vietnam. Wind-drying by using electric fans is a new way to dehydrate tiger prawns or whiteleg shrimps when normally they are sun-dried or oven-dried. Also, prawns are steamed, not boiled like a traditional way. This way the prawns will retain the highest level of umami flavor, according to the producer. The prawns are brightly red naturally, not by using any dying substance. The texture of wind-dried prawns is soft unlike that of sun-dried ones.

Shrimps are raised following the international standards ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council), with clean ingredients without using antibiotics. Prawns are raised in ponds lined with plastic sheets. When the shrimps reach the size of 60 individuals / kg, the cooperative farm will select about 100-200 kgs, the prawns are moved to another pond to reduce the density and they are not fed for 10 days before being caught. The shrimps will eat natural algae in the pond which will made the bright red color of the shrimps. Shrimps are harvested but kept under water overnight to discharge all food in the shrimp’s intestinal tract. Next, the shrimps are brought to the processing facility, where they are processed and mixed with salt, steamed for 10 minutes until the shrimps has cooked. Peeled shrimp are dried in hot air at 20°C, followed by an UV light treatment for another 12 minutes. Finished shrimps are sorted by size, vacuumed, packaged and stamped with traceability markings according to regulations.

Wind-dried shrimps can be mashed to cook soups, or used in salad, wrap and roll, stir fry dishes…