Ca MauThrough many stages, Mr. Le Tuan Kiet and his wife created a dried shrimp product with a curved shape like a bird’s claw, selling for more than one million VND per kg, attracting customers during Tet.
About two months before the Lunar New Year is the peak time for dried shrimp production facilities to receive orders to plan processing. At the facility of Mr. Kiet (29 years old) and Ms. Nguyen Minh Thu in My Phu hamlet, Ta An Khuong commune, workers are busy processing, drying and sorting for timely delivery. The “bird’s claw” ground dried shrimp alone has orders for hundreds of kilograms, and output is expected to triple during the peak of Tet.
The dried bird’s claw shrimps are checked for quality right from the drying rack. Image: Cheers Ly
Ground shrimp is completely natural, has not been industrially raised, has sweet meat, and has a beautiful red color when cooked. In Ca Mau, this type of shrimp is chosen by many establishments as high-quality dried shrimp ingredients, often used as gifts for holidays and Tet. According to Mr. Kiet, bird’s claw dried ground shrimp is the most favorite product because it retains the characteristic flavor of ground shrimp. Launched in 2023, but it was not until Tet last year that the product received a lot of market attention; Due to lack of raw materials, there is not enough supply.
The idea of making bird’s claw dried shrimp came from traditional batches of dried shrimp, when he noticed that about 1-2% of the shrimp had a beautiful curved shape like a bird’s claw. Since then, he spent many months testing and adjusting the process through dozens of production batches to meet the requirements in both shape and quality.
Currently, bird’s claw dried shrimp is popular in the market. Image: Cheers Ly
The process is strictly implemented right from the stage of choosing fresh ground shrimp. Shrimp are washed, marinated in dry ice for about 15 minutes (no water), then boiled in a bag in small quantities for about 25 minutes to maintain shape. Shrimp continue to be dried for about 6 hours, exposed to the sun for 1-2 hours to dry and have a beautiful color before being shelled, sorted and packaged.
“All stages must be done carefully to create the bird’s claw shape,” Mr. Kiet said. Only those that meet standards, are not dead, and are not close to the shell are selected, thanks to which the finished dried shrimp has a fragrant aroma, a clear red color, supple meat, and a naturally sweet taste.
Due to the elaborate process, the production time of bird’s claw dried shrimp lasts twice as long as conventional types. In return, the product has a beautiful appearance, retains the flavor of ground shrimp, and is suitable as a high-end gift. At first, many customers were surprised when the price was several hundred thousand VND per kg higher than other types, but after using it, they all appreciated the design and quality.
Workers preparing dried bird’s claw shrimp. Image: Cheers Ly
The selling price of dried bird’s claw shrimp depends on the price of live ground shrimp, which increased sharply at the end of the year. Currently, ground shrimp are purchased by traders at about 170,000 VND per kg; To make 1 kg of dried bird’s claw shrimp, you need 6–8 kg of live shrimp. Bird’s claw type 1 dried ground shrimp costs 1.52–1.72 million VND/kg; Bird’s claw black tiger shrimp 1.62–1.82 million VND/kg, depending on the time. On average, each month, the facility consumes about 200 kg, expected to triple during Tet.
Ca Mau dried shrimp is a popular gift item; The last three months of the year alone (October–December of the lunar calendar) account for 40–50% of total consumption. The whole province currently has more than 100 dried shrimp production facilities. In 2023, Ca Mau dried shrimp making profession will be recognized as an intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Cheers Ly