Sheung Wan’s ‘Dried Seafood Street’ features over 200 stores selling dried seafood in all its iterations. — ABIRAMI DURAI/The Star
In Hong Kong’s famed Des Voeux Road West in the Sheung Wan area, over 200 stores are filled to the brim with dried seafood. Consequently, you’ll find bamboo trays loaded with dried scallops, bottles heaving with large gossamer sheaths of fish maw; sharply rotund, plump abalone in plastic casings as well as tiny little dried shrimp, among a motley assortment of aquatics.
The variety of what’s on offer can seem mind-boggling to tourists and visitors unfamiliar with the importance of dried seafood in Cantonese cuisine. But the sheer fact that many of these shops have rich histories dating back over a century ago is testament to the pivotal role these ingredients play in traditional Chinese meals.
In Hong Kong, dried seafood is called ‘hoi mei’ which translates to the ‘flavours of the sea’ and Des Voeux Road West is also known as ‘Dried Seafood Street’. According to an article in Culture Trip, the street originally saw its roots in the early 20th century with the salted fish trade which would see hawkers drying local catches on rooftops and selling it to working class Hong Kong folk looking for cheap sources of seafood.
From the 1950s onwards, urban development meant that many shop owners no longer had the space to dry fish. This in turn forced a shift towards dried seafood, which was aimed at a more upper middle-class market.
Dried seafood truly came into its own in the 1970s and 1980s when there was a surge in prosperity in Hong Kong, which in turn meant demand for dried seafood sourced from all over the world began soaring as people now had money to spend on these ingredients.
Dried seafood is a staple in Chinese cuisine and ranges from abalone, sea cucumber and fish maw to dried scallops, prawns and fish. — ABIRAMI DURAI/The Star
And that is how Hong Kong became the epicentre of traditional Chinese-style dried seafood, growing into a purveyor of top-quality dried seafood, gleaned from increasingly savvy shop-owners whose skill set and know-how had soared through decades of assessing and valuing dried seafood. Globally, Sheung Wan now plays an important role in sorting and redistributing dried seafood as it is considered an international hub.
In fact, many of the top Chinese restaurants in Kuala Lumpur also source their dried seafood – from abalone to dried scallops and fish maw – from Hong Kong, which has a reputation for discovering and selling the best.
Importance in Cantonese cuisine
In Cantonese cuisine – which is the predominant cuisine in Hong Kong and many parts of Malaysia (i.e. Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and other parts of Peninsular Malaysia where Malaysian Chinese are of Cantonese origin), dried seafood plays an important role, most notably for its positive connotations, texture as well as its reputation for boosting health and vitality.
Until the early 21st century, there were four core dried seafood items that were prized in Cantonese cuisine – namely fish maw (also known as fish bladder), sea cucumber, abalone and shark’s fin. Amidst growing environmental concerns, the interest in shark’s fin has diminished considerably – especially among the younger generation.
The difference between a premium prickly skin sea cucumber (less) and a less premium variant (right). — HONG KONG TOURISM BOARD
Dried seafood is typically served at Chinese banquets, weddings, during Chinese New Year and at important business lunches or dinners where a ‘wow’ factor is crucial.
These days, the remaining trio (fish maw, sea cucumber and abalone) continue to attract interest and attention, although the Chinese topography of dried cuisine also includes dried scallops, oysters, shrimp and cuttlefish, to name a few.
Each dried seafood is prized predominantly for its mouthfeel as well as its health and wellness attributes. Fish maw for example is an inflatable organ that enables fish to retain their buoyancy. It has a bouncy, slippery feel and is rich in collagen, which is why it is believed to boost skin elasticity and improve blood circulation as well as have regenerative qualities that make it ideal when recovering from a bout of illness. Fish maw is typically added to Chinese soups and stews.
Sea cucumber on the other hand resembles a long finger-length caterpillar and has an almost juicy slug-like texture and is low in cholesterol and fat. It is also thought to have anti-ageing properties which help promote muscle strength and elevate the immune system.
Sea cucumber in Cantonese cuisine has its roots in the Ming and Qing dynasties and interestingly, these sea creatures have been on the planet for over 600 million years. Sea cucumber is typically used in Chinese braised dishes alongside other ingredients like winter melon and dried shiitake mushrooms.
The difference between Japanese and African abalone lies in the final outcome with the former having a springier texture and the latter being more chewy.
Abalone is a delicacy that is almost always served during Chinese New Year as it indicates prosperity and wealth due to its resemblance to a traditional Chinese gold ingot. It has a firm yet spongy texture that indicates some degree of chew and bite in the mouth. In Chinese medicine, abalone is believed to be able to repair the liver and eyes. Abalone is typically used in Chinese braised dishes.
Big business
In Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan area, dried seafood is big business and is supported by household consumers as well as top Chinese restaurants looking for premium delicacies to elevate their meals. At a store named Hai Sang Hang, general manager Kenneth So heads a family business that has been in operation for over 50 years and was initiated by his own father.
So says that in Hong Kong and Macau, fish maw and abalone are the most popular consumer purchases. “I would say fish maw is No 1 because it is easy to cook, easy to prepare and for health, it is the best.
So’s family has been dealing with dried seafood since his father opened his shop in Sheung Wan over 50 years ago. — HONG KONG TOURISM BOARD
“Next would be abalone because of the taste and also because you can now purchase many kinds of abalone – dried, frozen and even canned abalone,” he says.
How is dried seafood assessed and sold? According to So, Hong Kong dried seafood traders use a unique Chinese mass measurement called catty (it was once used in Malaysia but has since been phased out). For reference, one catty is equivalent to around 600 grams.
At his shop in Sheung Wan, So scatters discs of huge, yellowish-tinged fish maw onto a bamboo receptacle. Picking one up, he says, “This is a highly prized fish maw from a male fish caught off the coast of Pakistan. It is hard to find fish maw this large, which is why it is very rare and also very expensive. Each fish maw is 60 grams per piece and will sell for about HK50,000 to HK60,000 (RM30,000 to RM36,000) per catty,” he says.
Consumers looking for more affordable fish maw can opt for African fish maw, which is about 1/10 the price of the Pakistani variant.
So says when selecting fish maw and other premium dried seafood, consumers have to ensure that each piece is transparent, doesn’t have any worms or a bad smell and most importantly is 100% dry.
“If not dried properly, the yield will be not as good as the dry one. If it is properly dry, it will be eight times the size upon rehydration, but if it is not dried well, it will be three times the size. When we import dried seafood, we examine it first. If it is not viable, we send it back. These days, I know just from picking up the seafood whether it is properly dried or not,” he says.
For abalone meanwhile, So says the most expensive and prized variant is Japanese abalone, which is sold at HK32,000 (RM19,500) per catty and is beloved for its natural deliciousness and more sponge-like texture. For contrast, the more widely available abalone from south Africa has a slightly harder texture and consequently, is 1/3 the price of the Japanese variant.
For sea cucumber meanwhile, Japanese prickly sea cucumber is the most expensive, with 50 pieces per catty going for HK8,000 to HK10,000 (RM4,800 to RM6,100). Sea cucumber is divided into a few categories, with prickly sea cucumber being the most expensive because of the horns or spines growing in columns along the sea cucumber’s length, resulting in a springier texture when cooked. According to So, purveyors should look for six legs or columns along the sea cucumber when looking for the most premium options.
Tang’s baked abalone, chicken and Matsusaka mushrooms highlights the new cuisine styles of inventive Cantonese chefs using dried seafood in novel ways. — ABIRAMI DURAI/The Star
He picks up another Japanese sea cucumber and says, “See, this one is from the western part of Japan, but there aren’t as many legs (spiny horns) so it will be half the price of the premium one,” he says.
Another variety of sea cucumber is the bald sea cucumber which doesn’t have spiny columns and instead has a smooth surface and a softer texture. White teat sea cucumber on the other hand, has white dots on its skin.According to So, dried seafood can last one to two years if stored in a cool area but can last forever if kept in a chiller.
Cooking dried seafood
Dried seafood has to be rehydrated in order to be properly cooked into dishes. This often means soaking in water for a few hours or even a few days, followed by boiling or simmering. The rate of absorption is equally related to the size of the seafood, so larger pieces require more rehydration.
Interestingly, while dried seafood has traditionally always been used in Chinese banquet style meals like soups and braised dishes, a new legion of young chefs in Hong Kong are now attempting to invigorate an old staple using more modern configurations. At the one Michelin-starred Man Ho Chinese Restaurant in JW Marriott Hong Kong, executive chef Jayson Tang says he treasures his culture and roots, and naturally enjoys cooking with dried seafood.
“Oh, I definitely enjoy cooking with dried seafood. It is part of my heritage and culture, but also a core tenet of our way of eating is the philosophy that food is medicine for health and longevity – which is what customers are looking for,” he says.
While the restaurant has a whole category dedicated to dried seafood – including more traditional dishes like braised sea cucumber with preserved vegetables and a double boiled Buddha jumps over the wall (which utilises fish maw, abalone and sea cucumber), Tang has also incorporated a whole slew of experimental dried seafood fare like a baked whole south African dried abalone puff with wild mushrooms.
Tang also makes other interesting dishes like chilled fish maw jelly with black vinegar, a cold jelly filled with all the gelatinous goodness of fish maw alongside an acerbic vinegar component.
Tang helms the one Michelin starred Man Ho in Hong Kong where he uses dried seafood in both traditional Cantonese dishes as well as more modern iterations. — ABIRAMI DURAI/The Star
Then there is his deep-fried sea cucumber pastry with porcini mushrooms. This is a fried pastry akin to a dim sum offering but the sea cucumber gives it bounce, spring and that signature slug-like consistency within. It’s an interesting way to have a small sample of sea cucumber without feeling like you’re over-indulging.
Tang’s baked abalone, chicken and Matsutake mushrooms wrapped in lotus leaf is also a stand-out. The abalone is just one of the many ingredients in this meal but offers an inventive way of enjoying this plump aquatic creature which is typically always braised or served in soupy concoctions.
“Yes, traditionally these hero ingredients were often used in braised dishes in banquet settings, usually for celebrations. To counter this, I think it is becoming more common for younger chefs to experiment and try new things.
“I would say I am part of a new wave of chefs trying to use these ingredients in more everyday applications, like the fish maw jelly and fried sea cucumber dumpling.
“I want to normalise the usage and consumption of these ingredients and democratise the genre, so you don’t have to wait till the next friend gets married or the next Chinese New Year – you can just have these ingredients at a business lunch or even for dim sum,” he says.
