Made from fermented, salted shrimps or krills that are pounded into a concentrated paste

Shrimp paste is known as Belacan in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, Kapi in Thailand and Terasi in Indonesia. Shrimp paste is a common ingredient used in South-east Asian cooking.  Used as the main ingredient in Sambal dish and in most Malay & Nyonya curries.

It is made from fermented ground shrimp or krill mixed with salt. Some versions are in its wet form such as those in Vietnam and other versions are sun-dried and either cut into fist-sized rectangular blocks or sold in bulk. It is an essential ingredient in many  curries and sauces. Shrimp paste can be found in most meals in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam and Phillippines.