Tips for choosing and storing dried seafood to serve guests during Tet

Dried squid

Dried squid is a delicious dish, very popular with drinkers. The first thing you need to pay attention to when buying is the color of the squid. Dried squid is made from fresh squid, the belly must be white, the back of the dried squid has a natural pink color and the faint black dots represent the true skin of the squid.

In addition, dried squid with straight bodies and thick flesh will be sweeter when grilled than thin ones. You should buy dried squid in the form of hanging because those are delicious squid, thick body, firm meat.

Good dried squid has a head that is firmly attached to the body, has many tentacles, and is pinkish-white and straight. Photo: Internet

Poor quality squid often has dark red spots on the body, back, and light red spots on both sides. On the contrary, good squid has no fishy smell, does not feel wet when touched, and the squid body must be dry. This is a very important and easily recognizable characteristic of dried squid.

How to preserve dried squid: Wrap the dried squid tightly in newspaper, put it in a sealed plastic bag and put it in the freezer with the best temperature being -18 degrees Celsius.

Do not store dried squid with fresh products.

Dried shrimp

Dried shrimp can be used to cook soup with squash, pumpkin, Malabar spinach, Malabar spinach, or soaked with pickled shallots, made into salads, stir-fried, or roasted, all of which are delicious. Delicious dried shrimp is usually freshwater shrimp that, after drying, has a beautiful natural pink-red color (the color of brick glaze).

Properly preserved dried shrimp can be used for many months without worrying about mold or losing flavor. When you buy shrimp from the market, you should dry it in the sun for about 2 to 3 days until it is completely dry. Then, wrap the shrimp in newspaper, store it in a jar with a tight lid or in the freezer, and defrost it before cooking.

Delicious dried shrimp is usually freshwater shrimp that, after drying, has a beautiful natural pink-red color (the color of the brick glaze). Photo: Internet

Avoid buying shrimp that are light or dark red in color because light color is not freshwater shrimp, dark red color is often due to the use of dyes. In addition, delicious shrimp have firm, firm meat and do not have a strong smell.

If it is chemically treated shrimp, just soak it in cold or hot water for a while and the color will fade into the bowl of water. But with naturally dried shrimp, the shrimp will just expand and the bowl of water will remain clear.

Dried fish

Dried fish is often considered an attractive rustic dish, can be processed into many delicious dishes and is convenient to use. During Tet, every house has "meat hanging all over the house" which is easy to get bored of. Therefore, you should buy some dried fish to save for Tet to change the taste.

Dried fish helps you change the taste for your family during Tet. Photo: Internet

When buying dried fish, the first thing you should pay attention to is the color of the fish. The color of the fish should be clear yellow and not sticky to the touch. If the dried fish is cloudy, has brown spots or is watery, the fish has been stored for a long time. Another way to choose good dried fish is to hold the fish in your hand, smell a light fishy smell but not strong, the fish eyes should be white.

Buying good dried fish is also important, but preserving it is also important. When you buy it from the market, you should dry it in the sun, then wrap it tightly in newspaper and put it in the refrigerator or hang it in a cool, sunny place.