Shrimp pasteorprawn sauceis afermentedcondiment commonly used inSoutheast Asianand CoastalChinese cuisines.It is primarily made from finely crushedshrimporkrillmixed with salt, and then fermented for several weeks. It is sold either in its wet form or sun-dried and either cut into blocks or sold in bulk. It is an essential ingredient in manycurries,sauces andsambal.Shrimp paste can be found in many meals inCambodia,Indonesia,Laos,Malaysia,Myanmar,the Philippines,Singapore,Thailand,andVietnam.It is often an ingredient indipfor fish or vegetables.
 A shrimp paste in Hop Yick Market at Hong Kong | |
| Alternative names | Prawn sauce |
|---|---|
| Type | Condiment |
| Place of origin | Continental Southeast Asia[1] |
| Region or state | Southeast Asia,Southern China |
| Created by | ChamandMon people[1] |
| Main ingredients | shrimporkrillandsalt |
| Shrimp paste | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese name | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | Mắm tôm | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | Mắm tôm | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Alternative Chinese name | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | Tôm 膎 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | Tôm 膎 | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Second alternative Chinese name | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | Hàm mắm tôm | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | Hàm mắm tôm | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Burmese name | |||||||||||
| Burmese | ငါးပိ (nga:pi.) | ||||||||||
| Vietnamese name | |||||||||||
| Vietnamese Alpha bet | mắm tôm | ||||||||||
| Hán-Nôm | 𩻐𩵽 | ||||||||||
| Thai name | |||||||||||
| Thai | กะปิ | ||||||||||
| RTGS | ka-pi | ||||||||||
| Malay name | |||||||||||
| Malay | belacan | ||||||||||
| Indonesian name | |||||||||||
| Indonesian | terasi | ||||||||||
| Filipino name | |||||||||||
| Tagalog | bagoóng alamáng | ||||||||||
| Lao name | |||||||||||
| Lao | ກະປິ (kapi) | ||||||||||
| Khmer name | |||||||||||
| Khmer | កាពិ (kābi) | ||||||||||
History
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Shrimp paste originated incontinental Southeast Asia,probably among theChamandMon people,from where it spread southwards toinsular Southeast Asia.[1]
In Java, fermented shrimp paste (trasiorterasi), as mentioned in two ancientSundanesescriptures,Carita Purwaka Caruban NagariandMertasinga,had been around before sixth century. According toCarita Purwaka Caruban Nagari,Cirebonhad angered the King ofGaluh Kingdomafter they stopped paying a tribute (in the forms of shrimp paste and salt, their regional products) to him. InMertasinga,it was mentioned that Cirebon was attacked by Galuh Kingdom because they stopped sendingtrasito the king.[2][citation needed]
Shrimp paste was one of Java's most popular exports bought by traders from neighboring islands and abroad. According to Purwaka Caruban Nagari, Chinese Muslim explorer,Zheng HeofYunnan,used to buytrasifromCirebonand brought it back to his homeland. He was the one who introducedtrasito China, a foreign condiment which later became popular and inspired locals to make their own version.[citation needed]
In 1707,William Dampierdescribedtrasiin his bookA New Voyage Round the World:"A composition of a strong odor, but it became a very tasty meal for the indigenous people." Dampier described it further as a mixture of shrimp and small fish made into a kind of soft pickle with salt and water, and then the dough was packed tightly in a clay jar. Thepicklingprocess softens the fish and makes it mushy. Then they pouredarrackinto the jars to preserve them. "The mushy fish remains was called trassi," Dampier wrote; "The aroma is very strong. However, after adding a little part of it, the dish's flavour became quite savory."[3][citation needed]
In the 1880s,trassiwas described by Anna Forbes during her visit toAmbon.Anna was the wife of British naturalistHenry Ogg Forbes;the couple travelled through theDutch East Indiesin the 1880s. In her journal she describes the culture, customs and tradition of the natives, including their culinary tradition. Because of this foul-smelled ingredient, she accused her cook of trying to poison her and threw away that "horrible rotten package". Later she wrote: "Then, I observed each dish of the native or European, those that I have consumed since my arrival in the East contains this; the essence of that rotten stuff that has been used as a spice."[3][citation needed]
TraditionalKapiis described bySimon de La Loubère,a French diplomat appointed by KingLouis XIVto the Royal Court of Siam in 1687. In one chapter, "Concerning the Table of the Siamese" he wrote: "Their sauces are plain, a little water with some spices, garlic, chilbols, or some sweet herb, as baulm. They do much esteem a liquid sauce, like mustard, which is only corruptedcrayfish,because they are ill salted; they called itCapi.[4][5]
Varieties
editShrimp paste may vary in appearance from pale liquid sauces to solid chocolate-coloured blocks. Shrimp paste produced in Hong Kong and Vietnam is typically a light pinkish grey; while the type used forBurmese,Lao,Cambodian,Thai,Indonesiancooking is darker brown. In the Philippines, they are commonly bright red or pink, due to the use ofangkak(red yeast rice) as a colouring agent.[6][7]While all shrimp paste has a pungent aroma, the scent of higher grade shrimp paste is generally milder. Markets near villages producing shrimp paste are the best places to obtain the highest quality product. Shrimp paste varies between different Asian cultures and can vary in smell, texture and saltiness.[8]
Bagoóng alamáng
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Bagoóng alamáng(also variously asaramáng,uyap,dayok,orginamós,among others in variousPhilippine languages) isFilipinofor shrimp paste. It is a type ofbagoóng,which is a class of fermented seafood in Philippine cuisine (including fermented fish,oysters,andclams) which also producesfish sauce(patís). It is made from the sameAcetesshrimp as in Indonesian and Malaysian variants (known in Filipino/Tagalog asalamang) and is commonly eaten as a topping on greenmangoes(also boiledsaba bananasorcassava), used as a major cooking ingredient, or sautéed and eaten withwhite rice.Bagoóngpaste varies in appearance, flavour, and spiciness depending on the type. Pink and saltybagoóng alamángis marketed as "fresh", and is essentially the shrimp-salt mixture left to marinate for a few days. Thisbagoóngis rarely used in this form, save as a topping for unripe mangoes. The paste is customarily sautéed with various condiments, and its flavour can range from salty to spicy-sweet. The colour of the sauce will also vary with the cooking time and the ingredients used in sautéing.[citation needed]
Unlike in other parts of Southeast Asia, Sulu archipelago,Western Visayasand Bikol region in Southeastern Luzon,[9]where the shrimp isfermentedbeyond recognition or ground to a smooth consistency, the shrimp inbagoóng alamángin many parts of the Philippines is still identifiable, the sauce itself having a chunky consistency. A small amount of cooked or sautéedbagoóngis served as the side condiment ofkare-kare,anoxtailstew made with peanuts. It is also used as the key flavouring agent ofbinagoongan(lit. "that to whichbagoóngis applied "), a pork dish.
The wordbagoóng,also refers to the sauce made with thebonnet mouthandanchovyfish, known asbagoóng terong.[citation needed]
Burong Hipon
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Balao-balao,also called burong hipon is a type of shrimp paste used inKapampangan cuisine.
Belacan
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Belacan, aMalayvariety of shrimp paste, is prepared from small shrimp from theAcetesspecies, known asgeragauin Malaysia orrebonin Indonesia. In Malaysia, the krill are typically steamed first, then mashed into a paste, and kept in storage for several months. The fermented shrimp are then prepared, fried and hard-pressed into cakes.William Marsden,an English writer, included the word in his "A Dictionary of the Malayan Language" published in 1812.[10]
Belacan is used as an ingredient in many dishes. A common preparation issambalbelacan,made by mi xing toasted belacan withchilli peppers,minced garlic, shallot paste and sugar and then fried. Sometimes it is toasted to bring out the flavour,[11]usually creating a strong, distinctive odour.[12][13]
InNorthern Australia,a variant ofsambal belacanis known locally as blachan or blachung (a phonetic spelling of the Indonesian pronunciation), and is popularly prepared amongIndigenousandTorres Strait Islanderfamilies inBroome,DarwinandCairns.Its presence is credited to the influence ofearly Makassan traders.[14]
A version of belacan similar to Filipino "fresh"bagoong alamangshrimp paste (which is fermented for a shorter period) is known ascincalok.[citation needed]
In Sri Lanka, belacan is a key ingredient used to makeLamprais.[15]
Balchao
editGalmboare dried baby shrimps which are ground with dried red chillies, spices and palm vinegar to make a spice paste used in the sour, sweet and spicy sauce known asbalchaoinGoa,India. It was brought to Goa by the Portuguese and originated in Macao. It is more like a pickle and is used as a side condiment in small quantities.[citation needed]
Haam ha
editHaam ha(Chinese:Hàm tôm;Cantonese Yale:hàahm hā;pinyin:xiánxiā) alternatively spelled "hom ha",also known ashar cheong(Chinese:Mắm tôm;Cantonese Yale:hā jeung;pinyin:xiājiàng).[16]It is a finely ground shrimp paste popular in southeastern Chinese cooking, and a staple seasoning in many places Cantonese people settled. It is lighter in colour compared to shrimp pastes made farther south. It is considered indispensable in many pork, seafood, and vegetable stir fry dishes. The smell and flavor are very strong. A pearl-sized ball ofhaam hais enough to season a stir fry for two people. The shrimp paste industry has historically been important in the Hong Kong region, and Hong Kong factories continue to shiphaam hato communities around the world.[17]
Kapi
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In Thailand, shrimp paste is calledkapi(Thai:กะปิ); (Lao:ກະປິ). In Thailand is an essential ingredient in many types ofnam phrik,spicy dips or sauces, and in allThai currypastes, such as the paste used inkaeng som.Very popular in Thailand isnam phrik kapi,a spicycondimentmade with fresh shrimp paste and most often eaten together with friedpla thu(short mackerel) and fried, steamed or raw vegetables. InSouthern Thailand,there are three types of shrimp paste: one made only from shrimp, one containing a mixture of shrimp and fish ingredients, and another paste that is sweet.[18]Nam phrik maeng dais available inHat YaiandSatunmarkets. The body fluids of thehorseshoe crab(maeng da) are pressed and mixed withkapi,giving a quite sweet taste.Nam phrik makhamiskapimixed withtamarind(makham) and is more sour.[citation needed]
Another common Thai food product ismun kung,which is confusingly also commonly translated as "shrimp paste".Mun kungis orange, oily, and more liquid whilekapiis grey, light purple or even black, and much more solid and crumbly.Mun kungis actually the fat from inside the head of the shrimp, from the organ that plays the role of the liver and pancreas, making it somewhat like a shrimppâtéorfoie gras.[citation needed]The term "shrimptomalley"may also be used forman kungalthough "tomalley" by default is generally assumed to be harvested from lobster or crab, and may also be used in English translations of the culinary extremely different Japanese food productkanimiso.[citation needed]
Mắm tôm
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In Vietnam, shrimp paste (mắm tôm,IPA:[mam˧ˀ˦tom˧]) are of two varieties: a thickened paste or a more liquefied sauce. To prepare for serving it is usually mixed with sugar, lime juice,kumquatand chili when used as a dipping sauce. Vietnamese people often usemắm tômas a dipping sauce for boiled meat, fried tofu, fried fish or for seasoning some soup dishes, such asbún mắm.[19]
Ngapi yay
editA watery dip or condiment that is very popular in Myanmar, especially the Burmese and Karen ethnic groups. The ngapi (either fish or shrimp, but mostly whole fish ngapi is used) is boiled with onions, tomato, garlic, pepper and other spices. The result is a greenish-grey broth-like sauce, which makes its way to every Burmese dining table. Fresh, raw or blanched vegetables and fruits (such as mint, cabbage, tomatoes, green mangoes, green apples, olives, chilli, onions and garlic) are dipped into the ngapi yay and eaten. Sometimes, in less affluent families, ngapi yay forms the main dish, and also the main source of protein.[citation needed]
Petis udang
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Petis udangis a version of shrimp/prawn paste used in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. In Indonesia it is particularly popular inEast Java.This thick black paste has a molasses like consistency instead of the hard brick like appearance of belacan. It also tastes sweeter because of theadded sugar.Petis is produced by boiling down the slurry of leftovers from shrimp processing. Molasses is generally added to provide a sweet flavour to the petis. It is used to flavour common local street foods likepopiahspring rolls,Asam laksa,chee cheong fanrice rolls androjaksalads, such asrujak cingurandrujak petis.In Indonesia, major producer ofpetisare home industries inSidoarjo,PasuruanandGresikarea inEast Java.[citation needed]
Sidol
editIn theChittagong Hill Tracts,Bangladesh, shrimp paste is calledsidolornappiby the indigenousJumma people.They use it to make vegetable food, such as bamboo shoots curry. Thisbamboo shootcurry is a traditional food of the indigenousJumma people.They eat it in this way. First bamboo shoots are collected from the bamboo forest, then defoliated and boiled in water. Then boiling water is mixed with the shrimp paste. Some chili, garlic paste, salt, and flour are added to the shrimp paste mixed with water. The mixture is heated and, after a few minutes, put on the boiled bamboo shoots on the mixture while still heating. After some minutes, the food is ready to serve.[citation needed]
Terasi
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Terasi (Dutch:trassi,Javanese:ꦠꦿꦱꦶ,romanized:trasi), an Indonesian (especiallyJavanese) variant of dried shrimp paste, is usually purchased in dark blocks, but is also sometimes sold ground as granulated coarse powder. The colour and aroma of terasi varies depending on which village produced it. The colour ranges from a soft purple-reddish hue to darkish brown. InCirebon,a coastal city inWest Java,terasi is made from tiny shrimp (Acetes) calledrebon,the origin of the city's name. Another kind is petis made from shrimp or tuna mixed with palm sugar. InSidoarjo,East Java,terasi is made from the mixture of ingredients such as fish, small shrimp (udang), and vegetables. Terasi is an important ingredient insambalterasi, also many otherIndonesian cuisine,such assayur asem(vegetable soup with tamarind), lotek (also calledgado-gado,Indonesian style salad inpeanut sauce), karedok (similar to lotek, but the vegetables are served raw), andrujak(Indonesian style hot and spicyfruit salad).[citation needed]
On the island ofLombok,Indonesia, a more savoury and sweet shrimp paste calledlengkareis made.[citation needed]
Industry
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Shrimp paste continues to be made by fishing families in coastal villages. They sell it tovendors,middlemen, ordistributorswho package it for resale to consumers. Shrimp paste is often known for the region it comes from since production techniques and quality vary from village to village. Some coastal regions in Indonesia, such asBagansiapiapiinRiau,Indramayu,CireboninWest Java,andSidoarjoinEast Java;as well as villages such asPulau Betongin Malaysia,Ma Wanisland in Hong Kong and inLingayen Gulf,Pangasinanin the Philippines are well known for producing very fine-quality shrimp paste.[citation needed]
Preparation
editPreparation techniques can vary greatly; however, the following procedure is most common in China, and much of Southeast Asia.[citation needed]
After being caught, small shrimp are unloaded, rinsed and drained before being dried. Drying can be done on plastic mats on the ground in the sun, on metal beds on low stilts, or using other methods. After several days, the shrimp-salt mixture[clarification needed]will darken and turn into a thick pulp. If the shrimp used to produce the paste were small, it is ready to be served as soon as the individual shrimp have broken-down beyond recognition. If the shrimp are larger, fermentation will take longer and the pulp will be ground to provide a smoother consistency. The fermentation/grinding process is usually repeated several times until the paste fully matures. The paste is then dried and cut into bricks by the villagers to be sold. Dried shrimp paste does not require refrigeration.[20][21][22]
Availability
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Shrimp paste can be found in nations outside Southeast Asia in markets catering to Asian customers. In the Netherlands, Indonesian-style shrimp paste can be found in supermarkets selling Asian foods, such asTrassie Oedangfrom theConimexbrand. In the United States, brands of Thai shrimp paste such asPantainorasinghandTra Changcan be found. Shrimp pastes from other countries are also available inAsian supermarketsand through mail order. It is also readily available in Suriname due to the high concentration of Javanese inhabitants. In Australia, shrimp paste can be found in most suburbs where Southeast Asian people reside.[23][24]
See also
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- Bagoong monamon– Philippine food ingredient made by fermenting salted anchovies
- Budu– Fish sauce originating from east coast of Peninsular Malaysia
- Conpoy– Cantonese dried scallop
- Dried shrimp– Dried shrimp used as seasoning
- Fish paste– Paste made of fish meat
- Fish sauce– Condiment made from fish
- Garum– Historical fermented fish sauce
- Kangkung belacan– Asian vegetable dish
- Liquamen– Historical fermented fish sauce
- List of Thai ingredients
- Ma Wan– Island in Hong Kong island (Tin Liu village) for one the Hong Kong site producing the paste
- Padaek– Traditional Lao condiment made from pickled or fermented fish that has been cured
- Prahok– Cambodian salted and fermented fish paste
- Saeu-jeot– Fermented shrimp in Korean cuisine
- Sambal– Indonesian spicy relish or sauce
- Surströmming– Swedish fermented Baltic Sea herring
References
edit- ^abcJoshi, V.K. (2016).Indigenous Fermented Foods of South Asia.CRC Press.p. 22.
Shrimp paste originated in continental Southeast Asia, probably among the Cham and Mon people of Indo-china, from where it diffused southwards to insular Southeast Asia.
- ^"Sejarah Asal-Usul Ditemukanya Terasi Serta Pengaruhnya Terhadap Kehancuran Kerajaan Sunda".Sejarah Cirebon(in Indonesian). 16 September 2017.Retrieved24 November2020.
- ^abMahandis Yoanata Thamrin."Terasi dalam Catatan Perjalanan Pelancong Terlawas".National Geographic Indonesia(in Indonesian).Retrieved24 September2015.
- ^de La Loubère, Simon (1693).A New Historical Relation of the Kingdom of Siam CHAP. IV. Concerning the Table of the Siameses.Translated by A.P.
- ^de La Loubère, Simon (1691).Du Royaume de Siam par Monsieur de La Loubere envoyé extraordinaire du Roy auprès du roy de Siam en 1687. & 1688: Volume 1(in French). Vol. 1. Chez la Vve de Jean-Baptiste Coignard et Jean BaptisteCoignard. p. 154.
- ^Visessanguan, Wonnop; Chaikaew, Siriporn (2014)."Shellfish Products".In Sarkar, Prabir K.; Nout, M.J. Robert (eds.).Handbook of Indigenous Foods Involving Alkaline Fermentation.CRC Press. pp. 212–213.ISBN9781466565302.
- ^Redhead, J.F. (1990).Use of Tropical Foods: Animal products.FAO Food and Nutrition Paper. Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. p. 35.ISBN9789251028780.
- ^"TERASI – (Dried Shrimp Paste)".Archived fromthe originalon 7 July 2011.Retrieved11 July2011.
- ^In Western Visayas, shrimp paste or "ginamos" is prepared in a very similar way as in other Southeast Asian nations. In Iloilo, especially inBanate(famous for this delicacy), the minute shrimps or "hipon" are salted, dried under the sun, and then grounded.
- ^Marsden, William (1 January 1812).A Dictionary of the Malayan Language.Cox and Baylis – via Internet Archive.
- ^"3 Easy Ways to Roast Belacan (Dried Shrimp Paste)".Archived fromthe originalon 19 November 2012.Retrieved13 May2012.
- ^Pierson, Stephanie (4 October 2011).The Brisket Book: A Love Story with Recipes.Andrews McMeel Publishing.ISBN9781449406974– via Google Books.
- ^Eats, Serious."An Intro to Malaysian Food: The Ingredients".
- ^"'If you haven't had blachan, you haven't been to Darwin'".ABC News.17 June 2022.Retrieved18 June2022.
- ^"History baked in a banana leaf".Explore Parts Unknown.25 October 2017.Retrieved9 March2021.
- ^"Shrimp Sauce / Paste".Archived fromthe originalon 25 March 2018.Retrieved11 July2011.
- ^"A taste of the sea: Tai O's famous shrimp paste".Food.5 June 2018.Retrieved13 July2021.
- ^อาหารการกินแห่งลุ่มทะเลสาบ.สงขลา: เครือข่ายสตรรอบทะเลสาบ. 2551. หน้า 34–35
- ^Mộc Miên (21 March 2017)."Mắm tôm – đặc sản dậy mùi vùng duyên hải xứ Thanh"(in Vietnamese).Retrieved6 May2018.
- ^"Shrimp Paste – Gkabi".Retrieved11 July2011.
- ^"Dried shrimp paste".Retrieved11 July2011.
- ^"How Shrimp Paste is Made".Retrieved11 July2011.
- ^"Shrimp Paste".Retrieved11 July2011.
- ^"Ethnic Cuisine: Indonesia".Archived fromthe originalon 22 January 2009.Retrieved11 July2011.
External links
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Media related toShrimp pasteat Wikimedia Commons- Thai Shrimp PasteKasma Loha-unchit in Dancing Shrimp: Favorite Thai Recipes for Seafood.