Happily, dehydration also intensifies and alters flavor by disrupting cellular structure and so promoting enzyme action, and by concentrating flavorsome molecules to the point that they begin to react with each other to form additional layers of flavor Very lean fish and shellfish are the usual choice, since air-drying will inevitably cause fat oxidation and some development of rancid flavors Fatty fish are usually smoked, or salt-cured in closed containers to minimize rancidity Often drying is preceded by salting and/or cooking, which draw moisture from the fish and make their surfaces less hospitable to spoilage microbes during the drying proper China and Southeast Asia are the largest producers and consumers of dried fish and shellfish Cooks there use dried shrimp as is, either whole or ground, to season various dishes; they steam and shred dried scallops before adding them to soups; they reconstitute tough abalone, octopus, squid, jellyfish, and sea cucumber by soaking in water, then simmer them until tender They do the same with shark fins, which give a gelatinous thickness to soups Stockfish Perhaps the best known dried fish in the West is the Scandinavian stockfish, which traditionally has been cod, ling, or their relatives, freeze-dried for several weeks on rocky beaches along the cold, windy coasts of Norway, Iceland, and Sweden The result is a hard, light slab that’s nearly all protein and has a pronounced, almost gamy flavor when cooked Today, stockfish is mechanically airdried for two to three months at 40–50ºF/5– 10ºC Stockfish fanciers in Scandinavia and the Mediterranean region reconstitute the woody mass in water for from one to several days, with frequent changes to prevent bacterial growth The skin is then removed and the fish gently simmered, then served in pieces, in boneless flakes, or else pounded ... stockfish, which traditionally has been cod, ling, or their relatives, freeze-dried for several weeks on rocky beaches along the cold, windy coasts of Norway, Iceland, and Sweden The result is a hard,... Mediterranean region reconstitute the woody mass in water for from one to several days, with frequent changes to prevent bacterial growth The skin is then removed and the fish gently simmered, then served...sea cucumber by soaking in water, then simmer them until tender They do the same with shark fins, which give a gelatinous thickness to soups Stockfish Perhaps the best known dried fish in the West is the Scandinavian