How Belacan Is Made?

Unlike the oily, garlicky shrimp paste used in Thai curries, belacan is a hardened block of shrimp paste, made from tiny shrimp mixed with salt and fermented. The fermented paste is then ground into a smoother paste, then sun dried, shaped into blocks, and allowed to ferment again.

What is the main ingredient of belacan?

A pungent, dark-brown dried shrimp paste. It's an essential ingredient in South East Asian cooking, particularly Thailand, and is used in very small amounts in soups and curries.

What is belacan?

Belacan, a Malay variety of shrimp paste, is prepared from small shrimp from the Acetes species, known as geragau in Malaysia or rebon in Indonesia. In Malaysia, normally the krill are steamed first and after that are mashed into a paste and stored for several months. ... Belacan is used as an ingredient in many dishes.