Dried oysters, or ho see, are small, glossy and slightly shrivelled, with a chewy texture and intense, salty-sweet flavour that is vastly different from the briny, light, refreshing taste of fresh bivalves. The flavour can be overwhelming, so the oysters should be used in small quantities.
Dried oysters are sold in small plastic packets at supermarkets, or loose at Chinese grocers selling air-dried meats such as laap cheung (Chinese sausage) and salted duck. Make sure the oysters are still slightly pliable; they shouldn't be completely desiccated. If possible, take a deep sniff to check there's no smell of ammonia, which indicates they weren't dried properly.
Dried oysters need to be rinsed and soaked in warm water. The soaking liquid has a lot of flavour and can be included in the dish in place of broth or plain water. If the oysters are to be used whole in a stir-fry, steam them to soften further.
Dried oysters are often used in Lunar New Year dishes, usually paired with another auspicious ingredient, faat choi, or hairy moss. Probably the most famous dish with these two ingredients is faat choi jai, the vegetarian dish traditionally eaten on the first day of the Lunar New Year. My favourite way of eating dried oysters is in ho see soong, which is a richer version of the popular minced pigeon served in lettuce cups. Texture is important in this dish and it is best to hand-chop everything to approximately the same size instead of using a food processor, which gives a coarser texture.
To make ho see soong, rinse dried oysters and dried mushrooms, then soak in warm water (they can be soaked together). Reserve the soaking liquid and finely chop the oysters and mushrooms. Chop a couple stalks of celery, some fresh bamboo shoots and peeled fresh water chestnuts. Wash fresh coriander and leaves of iceberg lettuce and set aside, and toast some pine nuts.
Heat oil in a wok and add a couple slices of peeled ginger. Stir-fry until fragrant then remove and discard the ginger. Add minced pork to the hot pan and cook until it loses its pink colour. Remove the meat from the pan. Heat a little more oil in the wok, add the celery and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Add the oysters, mushrooms, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts, moisten with some soaking liquid and simmer over a medium heat for a few minutes. Turn the flame to high, return the pork to the pan and season with rice wine, oyster sauce and more of the soaking liquid. Stir-fry briefly then lower heat, cover and simmer for a few minutes. Remove the lid and taste for seasoning. Adjust the consistency by simmering over a high heat to reduce the liquid, or by adding more soaking liquid if it is too dry. Stir in the pine nuts and fresh coriander. Scoop spoonfuls of the mixture into leaves of iceberg lettuce and add a dab of hoisin sauce if desired.
