China · Chinese

Mussel and shrimp-roe soup

A clear seafood soup of dried mussels (dancai) and dried shrimp roe. One of the Manchu–Han banquet soup selections. Public reference · home adaptation, not a historical original.

30 minutes · 4 servings · Moderate

Mussel and shrimp-roe soup

Public reference · Home adaptation “Dancai” is the traditional Chinese name for dried mussel, meaning “bland taste”; also called kecai or haihong. Dried shrimp roe (xiazi) adds concentrated umami. Coastal banquet cooking relies on both for clear broths; this is a simplified home version, not an imperial original. Both dried mussels and dried shrimp roe carry natural salt, so no extra salt is added. Soak dried mussels in warm water and rinse to remove grit. “虾子” here refers to dried whole small shrimp or shrimp roe, not shrimp paste. Seasoning and timing are editorial for 4 servings. Contains shellfish (mussel) and crustacean (dried shrimp); rice wine contains alcohol. 今日头条：满汉全席之一：淡菜虾子汤 — Overview of mussel and shrimp-roe soup with pork-bone stock; this version uses water only. Therapeutic claims excluded. https://www.toutiao.com/article/7398836987312013876 百度百科：鲜美淡菜汤 — Naming and basic clear-broth technique for dried mussels; start in cold water to allow them to open. https://baike.baidu.com/view/8907486.htm FoodSafety.gov: Safe Minimum Internal Temperature — Shellfish should reach ≥63°C and hold for several seconds. https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/safe-minimum-internal-temperatures AI-generated illustration; not kitchen-tested.

Ingredients

  • dried mussels, soaked40 g
  • dried shrimp or shrimp roe15 g
  • ginger5 g
  • scallion, white part only10 g
  • Shaoxing rice wine10 ml
  • white pepper powder1 g
  • drinking water900 ml

Directions

  1. 1

    Soak dried mussels in warm water for about 30 minutes until soft, then scrub off grit and tough fibres. Rinse dried shrimp once and drain.

  2. 2

    Bring water, ginger and scallion whites to a boil. Add mussels and rice wine, simmer 10 minutes to extract flavour.

  3. 3

    Add dried shrimp and simmer about 3 minutes until the broth turns pale amber; season with white pepper.

  4. 4

    Remove ginger and scallion. Divide the broth and solids among 4 bowls and serve hot. If using fresh shrimp instead, add at the end and heat to ≥63°C.

Source: WorldBite · public-reference adaptation · Source-attributed editorial adaptation; AI illustration; not an authenticated original recipe.