Conpoy

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Conpoy, or dried scallop (干貝, Cantonese: konpui; Mandarin: gān bèi), is type of dried seafood product made from the adductor muscle of scallops. Conpoy is a loan word from the Cantonese pronunciation of konpui (干貝), which literally means "dried shell(fish)." It is commonly used in Asian cuisine, especially Chinese and Japanese cuisine. The smell of conpoy is marine, pungent, and reminiscent of certain salt-cured meats. Its taste is rich and umami due to its high content of various free amino acids, such as glycine, alanine, and glutamic acid. It is also rich in nucleic acids such as inosinic acid, amino acid byproducts such as taurine, and minerals, such as calcium and zinc.

In Hong Kong, conpoy from two types of scallops are common. Conpoy made from Atrina pectinata or kongyiu (江瑶), a freshwater scallop from mainland China, is small and milder in taste. Pationopecten yessoensis or sinpui (扇貝), a sea scallop imported from Japan (hotategai, 帆立貝 in Japanese), produces a conpoy that is stronger and richer in taste.

Like many dried foods, conpoy was originally made as a way to preserve seafood in times of excess. In more recent times its use in cuisine has been elevated to gourmet status. Conpoy has a strong and distinctive flavor that can be easily identified when used in rice congee, stir fries, stews, and sauces.

XO sauce, considered by some as one of the finest seasonings for frying vegetables or seafoods in Cantonese cuisine contains significant quantities of conpoy.