Shrimp Paste & Fermented Seafood

About this ingredient

Draft reference. This study is part of the cookbook’s foundations and is still being checked. Local names and cultural notes in particular are the author’s working text, pending verification, rather than settled fact.

Where it is used

All eleven, in many forms — dried shrimp paste, fermented fish, and fish/shrimp condiments

Flavour and aroma

Intensely pungent raw; toasting transforms it into deep, roasty umami. Fermented fish (prahok, padaek) is funkier and briny.

How it is used

Toasted and pounded into curry pastes and sambals; a pinch anchors the savory base of countless dishes. Fermented fish seasons Lao and Khmer cooking.

How to select

Firm blocks of shrimp paste with a clean marine smell; fermented fish sold in reputable jars.

Storage

Airtight (double-wrap shrimp paste — the aroma travels); cool and dark or refrigerated. Very long-keeping.

Substitutions

A little extra fish sauce approximates the salt but not the depth; miso is a distant vegetarian gesture.

Allergens

Shellfish (shrimp paste) and fish. A major allergen — always label clearly.