Golden Hook Dried Shrimp

Golden Hook Dried Shrimp

　　Laoshan Golden Hook Dried Shrimp is a specialty of Laoshan District, Qingdao City, Shandong Province. Made from fresh hawk's claw shrimp caught in the waters of Laoshan using traditional processing methods, Laoshan Golden Hook Dried Shrimp features a golden color and a hook-like shape—hence the name “Golden Hook Dried Shrimp.” It boasts a delicious taste and high nutritional value, making it a unique seafood product of Laoshan.

　　Golden Hook Dried Shrimp is made from live hawk's claw shrimp. Through traditional processing techniques, the shrimp are first boiled, then naturally sun-dried until the shells become crisp. The shells are then manually removed while keeping the shrimp body intact in its hook-like form. The dried shrimp take on a golden-yellow hue, hence the name “Golden Hook Dried Shrimp.” These hawk's claw shrimp are all wild-caught and are also known as standing shrimp, mainly found in the sea area stretching from Damaidao to Liucuihe. Laoshan’s “Golden Hook Dried Shrimp” became a well-known gift specialty of Qingdao especially during the 1960s and 1970s after the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

　　After the regional division of Laoshan in the 1990s, the Golden Hook Dried Shrimp brand came under the management of the Shazikou Aquatic Products Supply and Marketing Station. Later, it entered a phase where several enterprises operated independently. Currently, there are five or six companies producing Laoshan Golden Hook Dried Shrimp, among which Qingdao Guangtong Food Co., Ltd., located at the fishing port dock in Laoshan District, has the largest production capacity, yielding over 20–30 tons per year. However, the brand remains government-owned.

　　The authentic Golden Hook Dried Shrimp differs from other types of dried shrimp mainly in that its tail is thin and long, forming a “golden hook” shape. Due to its high dryness level, the “spine” of the shrimp is particularly tough and not easily broken when bent by hand. The materials selected and the processing procedures used for Golden Hook Dried Shrimp are unique. Typically, freshly sun-dried Golden Hook Dried Shrimp have a cherry-red color. These dried shrimps are extremely dry, offering a crisp and dry texture with a slight sweet taste.