Golden Hook Dried Shrimps

Golden Hook Dried Shrimps

　　Golden Hook Dried Shrimps, known as the king of dried shrimps, get their name from their golden color and hook-like shape. Before eating, they should be soaked in water until tender, and can then be served cold, stir-fried, steamed, or boiled—such as in scrambled eggs with dried shrimps or stir-fried with various vegetables. They have an exceptionally delicious flavor.

　　Golden Hook Dried Shrimps are processed from a small shrimp called the lamp-red shrimp. This type of shrimp lives along the southeast coast of the Bohai and Yellow Seas, from Changxing Island to Lushunkou’s Laotieshan area. Due to the water temperature, they have a long growth cycle and never grow large (no one has ever seen a lamp-red shrimp over an inch long). They are characterized by uniform size, shiny shells, tender meat, and extremely rich nutrition. Their protein content can be as high as 55%, far exceeding that of river shrimp, and they also contain abundant trace elements beneficial to the human body such as phosphorus, calcium, and iodine.

　　Related Legend

　　It is said that Golden Hook Dried Shrimps were bestowed their name by Emperor Qianlong—these dried shrimps were already listed as tribute during the Qing Dynasty, though at that time they had an unrefined name: Hunchback Shrimp. One day, when Emperor Qianlong requested a vegetarian dish, his imperial chef prepared a tofu soup with Golden Hook Dried Shrimps. After tasting it, the emperor found the flavor incredibly delicious and kept praising it, remarking that the dish was light, fresh, and crisp—truly an excellent dish. He asked where the shrimps came from and what they were called. The chef replied that they were from Lushunkou in Liaodong, and locals called them “Hunchback Dried Shrimps.” The emperor repeatedly said it was an inappropriate name, so the chef quickly asked His Majesty to bestow a new one. After a moment of thought, Emperor Qianlong said, “I see they are golden in color and shaped like a gold hook, so let’s call them Golden Hook Dried Shrimps. As for the dish, let’s name it ‘Golden Hook Angling for Jade.’” And thus, the current name came into being.