Shrimp Paste

[Sweet Willie]

sounded good, what do I do with it?

[Suzanne F]

First of all, keep the jar really really well-wrapped.

Add teeny, tiny amounts to anything savory -- especially chutneys, relishes -- for a hint of unusual flavor. Don't be constrained by the idea of only using it in SE Asian dishes. Think of it more like fish sauce, to the third degree. Have fun with it! (Anyway, I do!)

[budrichard]

Used in stir fries as an alternative or adjunct to soy. Use to make marinades. By itself very gray and pungent but after heating adds charachter. Kind of like Japanese XO sauce which adds a very pungent flavor. Try crab with hot bean oil also. When in the Asian markets i pick up a whole range of these pastes and oils. Some are very good and some.....Be careful to try and ascertain freshness as some of the markets keep this stuff forever. -Dick

[Pan]

This is called belacan in Malay and terasi in Indonesian.

Belacan is used all the time to cook vegetables - especially green vegetables like kangkung (water spinach), petai, asparagus, bayam (something like spinach), and long beans or string beans. It is also used in a sambal with hot pepper and such-like for ulam, a dish of raw vegetables.

Here's a useful link:

Malaysian greens with shrimp paste

[mags]

Just wanted to be sure we were talking about Asian shrimp-paste, and not British-style potted shrimp or American Southern shrimp paste, made from shrimp and butter and spices. Either of the latter two make fab hors d'ouevres with crackers or veggie dippers, and they also make very tasty omelettes.

[Sweet Willie]

Just wanted to be sure we were talking about Asian shrimp-paste, and not British-style potted shrimp or American Southern shrimp paste,

To clarify I was referring to Asian.