A molded dried food material which can be preserved at normal temperature,
exhibits favorable rehydrating property with full of voluminous feeling
when rehydrated, maintaining excellent taste, color and eat feeling
without permitting the shape to be collapsed. A method of producing a
dried food material comprises the steps of blanching a food material to
be treated to obtain a blanched food material; mixing a vehicle to the
blanched food material to obtain a vehicle-mixed food material; drying
the vehicle-mixed food material with the hot air until the weight reduces
to no less than 20% but no more than 70% to obtain a rehydration dried
food material; press-molding the rehydration dried food material to
obtain a press-molded food material; and freeze-drying the press-molded
food material to obtain a freeze-dried food material; wherein the
press-molding process to press down the freeze-dried food material with a
force which can be rehydrated back to a sufficient degree when
rehydrated.