BEFORE refrigeration allowed storage and delivery of fresh seafood, fishermen used to preserve their surplus catches by drying.

That process not only gave diners the pleasure of eating seafood in dishes all year round, but also contributed unique flavors to fish, shrimp and scallops.

During the run-up to the Chinese New Year, which falls on January 28, dried seafood is traditionally part of the mealtime shopping list. Demand is especially high for Cantonese dishes.

From tiny shrimp to large sheets of octopus, there is a vast variety of dried seafood available and used in China, each bringing a distinct flavor to cooking.

Drying seafood to preserve umami flavors varies according to region and different aquatic products.

Wind-dried fish is a specialty in coastal regions of Shandong Province. It originated because fishermen who didn’t want to return to harbor before filling their boats gutted fish on board, rinsed them in seawater and hung them to dry on deck lines. When the boats finally docked, the seafood was ready to cook.

In Qingdao, wind-dried mackerel is also called “sweet sun-dried fish” because the traditional method didn’t add any seasoning.

Although mackerel is the most common wind-dried fish here, the process also works for yellow croaker, hair-tail, sea eel and other marine catches.

Curing the fish in salt is another method of preserving. It takes longer but adds an extra layer of flavor.

Under this process, fresh fish is gutted and cleaned in running water. The fish can be soaked in salted water or with dry salt rubbed across the surface. The salt seeps into the flesh to help dehydrate the fish. Finally, the fish is rinsed again to remove excess salt and then left to dry in the sun.

To cook, salt-cured fish should be soaked in water for 15 minutes to remove salt residue. Even then, its strong flavor requires sparing use.

One popular fish part for drying is the swim bladder, a gas-filled structure that helps fish maintain buoyancy. It is a delicacy beloved of Chinese women because of its rich collagen and silken texture.

Swim bladders of large fish like sturgeon and yellow croaker dry to a deep amber hue. They are typically cooked in soups or stews after rehydration, which involves a long process of soaking in hot water until softened and then boiling for 30 minutes.

Dried shrimp, shrunk to thumbnail size, is perhaps the most widely used dried seafood, featuring in many cuisines of the world.

There are different types of dried shrimp in Chinese cuisine, with or without shell. The larger the shrimp, the higher the grade and the more meaty the texture and flavor.

Once rehydrated, shrimp release flavor to braised dishes, soups and fillings for dumplings and steamed buns.

Dried shrimp with shells left on, known as xia pi, are often added as the last step in cooking soups and stews. Xia pi is mostly made with Acetes chinensis and Acetes japonicas — shrimp only about three centimeters long when caught. The shells contain a high level of the antioxidant astaxanthin.

It’s important to store the dried shrimp in the fridge.

Dried scallops, also known as conpoy, is very versatile in the kitchen.

Because of its strong umami taste, ancient Chinese said that eating dried scallops would render chicken and shrimp tasteless for three days.

Dried scallops have a brackish flavor. They can be served whole or added to vegetable, meat and soup dishes. They are used in savory congee alongside lean pork or shrimp and shitake mushrooms.

Dried oyster is another household favorite that’s mostly made in wintertime, when humidity is low.

The dried oysters can be rehydrated and braised with pork or added to congee, fish or chicken soups. For a quick stir-fry, six to 10 rehydrated oysters are sautéed until they turn golden and then are added to scrambled egg.

Both dried scallops and oysters take only about 30 minutes to soak before cooking.

Dried abalone is the star of classic Chinese banquets. The meaty, chewy sea mollusk is often cooked in rich broth with red meat.

To rehydrate abalone at home, soak in water for two to three days in the fridge. Dunk them in boiling water for an hour, after rinsing to remove any grit. Soak in cold water again until they soften.

Cephalopods include squid, cuttlefish and octopus. All can be dried and preserved for later use in soups and stews. Dried squid is mostly produced in the coastal areas of Guangdong and Fujian provinces.

Fresh squid is soaked in fresh seawater for half a day, then cut open from the center of the abdomen to create a butterfly shape. Internal organs are removed. The squid is then rinsed in seawater again and sun-dried for six to 10 days.

When the squid are 80 percent dried, they are placed in baskets sealed with straw or sacking for seven to 10 days, before being steamed to separate out the betaine and other nitrides. The squid are sun-dried thoroughly again before packaging.

Sea cucumber, which is called “sea ginseng” in China and bêche-de-mer in France, is a nourishing seafood used in both fresh and dried forms in Chinese cuisine.

In the book “Sui Yuan Shi Dan,” a cooking guide written by Yuan Mei in the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911), sea cucumber was described as an ingredient with no taste, full of sand and very fishy in smell.

As an ingredient in soups and stews, dried sea cucumbers require days to rehydrate and prepare, and because they contain little flavor, it’s best to cook them with rich meats to infuse flavor.