INGREDIENT KNOWLEDGE · FERMENTED SEAFOOD
Shrimp paste is a concentrated fermented seasoning made from small shrimp or other small crustaceans mixed with salt and matured until their proteins, amino acids, and aroma compounds develop into a deeply savoury, marine, pungent ingredient. Across Southeast Asia it appears in many related forms, including belacan in Malaysia, terasi in Indonesia, kapi in Thailand, bagoong alamang in the Philippines, and related fermented shrimp pastes in Vietnam and neighbouring cuisines. These products are not interchangeable in every dish, but they share the same culinary role: a small amount can build extraordinary depth.
What shrimp paste brings to a dish
Shrimp paste is primarily an umami and aroma ingredient. During fermentation, proteins are broken down into smaller peptides and free amino acids, while microbial and chemical reactions generate volatile compounds responsible for its characteristic savoury, roasted, sulphurous, marine, and sometimes nutty aromas. Research on traditional Thai fermented shrimp pastes found glutamic acid and alanine among the prominent free amino acids, while pyrazines contributed roasted and nutty notes. Recent work on Indonesian terasi has likewise shown that microbial communities and fermentation conditions strongly influence volatile flavour development.
Used correctly, shrimp paste should not make a finished dish taste simply “fishy.” Its best work is usually in the background, reinforcing chilli, aromatics, coconut, tamarind, herbs, vegetables, rice, noodles, soups, sambals, curries, and stir-fries.
Regional styles and forms
- Belacan: common in Malaysian and Singaporean cooking. Often sold as a firm block or cake and frequently toasted before grinding into sambal or adding to stir-fries.
- Terasi: Indonesian fermented shrimp paste, sold in blocks, cakes, or softer forms. It is central to many sambals and can be toasted or fried to deepen aroma.
- Kapi: Thai shrimp paste, usually softer and moist. It is important in curry pastes, relishes, fried rice, and dishes such as khao khluk kapi.
- Bagoong alamang: Filipino fermented small shrimp. Styles range from salty raw-fermented products to cooked, sautéed, sweetened, or chilli-seasoned preparations.
- Other Southeast Asian shrimp pastes: Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and parts of southern China have their own fermented crustacean seasonings, each with distinct salt levels, textures, fermentation practices, and culinary uses.
Flavor, aroma, and texture
- Flavor: intensely savoury, salty, fermented, marine, and rich in umami.
- Aroma: powerful when raw; can show roasted, nutty, fermented, sulphurous, and seafood notes depending on product and treatment.
- Texture: ranges from dry and crumbly blocks to moist dense pastes and coarse shrimp-rich mixtures.
- Color: may range from pale pinkish-grey to reddish brown, dark brown, or purple-brown depending on raw material, fermentation, drying, roasting, and processing.
How to select good shrimp paste
Buy from a reliable producer with clear labelling, intact packaging, and a visible ingredient list. The aroma should be assertive and fermented, but the product should not smell sharply rotten, rancid, or chemically solvent-like. Avoid packages that are swollen, leaking, badly dried out, mouldy, or compromised.
For professional kitchens, select one regional style and standardise it rather than changing brands casually. Salt concentration, moisture, fermentation intensity, and aroma can vary considerably between products, so changing the paste can alter the entire balance of a sambal, curry paste, or stir-fry.
Preparation
Toasting firm belacan or terasi
For block-style shrimp paste, break off only the amount required. Toast gently in a dry pan, on foil under a grill, or according to the producer’s instructions until fragrant. The aim is to deepen aroma and remove some of the raw edge, not burn the paste. Ventilation is useful because the aroma becomes very strong during heating.
Frying in aromatics
Soft shrimp paste can be fried briefly with oil, shallot, garlic, chilli, or spice paste. This disperses the seasoning through the fat and allows it to integrate with the aromatics. Keep the heat controlled: excessive scorching produces bitterness and harsh burnt aromas.
Using directly
Some dishes use shrimp paste without pre-toasting, especially moist pastes incorporated into curry pastes, relishes, marinades, soups, or cooked sauces. Follow the logic of the regional preparation rather than assuming every shrimp paste must be toasted first.
Professional kitchen applications
- Build sambal bases with chilli, shallot, garlic, tamarind, lime, tomato, or palm sugar.
- Season vegetable stir-fries such as kangkung belacan.
- Add depth to Malaysian, Indonesian, Thai, Filipino, and other Southeast Asian curry pastes.
- Reinforce soups, braises, fried rice, noodles, relishes, and dipping sauces.
- Use in small measured amounts in compound marinades where fermented seafood character is traditional and intentional.
- Standardise batch weights carefully: shrimp paste is too concentrated to measure casually in large-volume production.
Home-cook applications
Start with less than you think you need. For a family-sized sambal or stir-fry, a small piece or spoonful may be enough. Cook it with aromatics, then taste the finished dish before adding extra salt, fish sauce, soy sauce, or other salty seasonings. Shrimp paste often contributes substantial salinity on its own.
Cooking behavior
Heat changes shrimp paste dramatically. Gentle toasting or frying can make the aroma rounder, roastier, and more integrated. Recent research on fermented shrimp paste shows that fermentation and post-fermentation heating alter volatile compounds and therefore the final sensory profile. In practical cooking, this means timing matters: shrimp paste added early and fried with aromatics behaves differently from shrimp paste diluted into a liquid near the end.
Substitutions
There is no exact substitute. Where shellfish is acceptable but the exact regional product is unavailable, another Southeast Asian shrimp paste can sometimes work after adjusting the quantity and salt. For shellfish-free cooking, fermented soybean products, miso, mushroom seasoning, seaweed, or a combination of soy sauce and another umami ingredient may provide savoury depth, but they will not reproduce shrimp paste’s aroma. In traditional dishes, treat such replacements as adaptations rather than equivalents.
Storage
Unopened products should be stored according to the manufacturer’s directions. Once opened, keep the paste tightly sealed to prevent moisture pickup and odour transfer, and follow the label for refrigeration. Use a clean, dry utensil every time. Moist, commercially packed shrimp pastes are best refrigerated after opening unless the manufacturer specifically states otherwise. Firm high-salt blocks are more shelf-stable, but quality still deteriorates with heat, air, moisture, and repeated contamination.
Food safety and allergens
Shrimp paste contains crustacean shellfish and must be treated as a major allergen. In the United States, FDA allergen rules specifically include crustacean shellfish such as shrimp among the major food allergens. Professional kitchens should prevent cross-contact through labelled containers, dedicated or fully cleaned utensils, controlled prep surfaces, and accurate allergen communication.
Fermentation and high salt do not make a product automatically safe for every storage condition. Buy commercially produced or otherwise properly controlled products, observe the manufacturer’s storage instructions, and discard products showing package failure, abnormal mould, unexpected gas formation, or clearly deteriorated odour. Do not use shrimp paste as a way to “rescue” seafood or other ingredients of questionable quality.
Common mistakes
- Using too much: it overwhelms a dish quickly. Build gradually.
- Adding salt before tasting: shrimp paste may already supply much of the required salinity.
- Burning it: over-toasting produces bitter, acrid notes.
- Assuming all regional pastes are identical: salt, moisture, fermentation, and intensity differ substantially.
- Ignoring allergens: shrimp paste is not a hidden seasoning that can be omitted from allergen communication.
- Leaving the container open: it absorbs moisture and transfers strong odours to surrounding foods.
Chef’s Notes
I treat shrimp paste the same way I treat anchovy, fish sauce, dried shrimp, or a strong aged cheese: the ingredient should have authority, but the finished dish still needs balance. The best result is when you notice the depth before you identify the paste itself. If the dish tastes aggressively salty or simply smells of raw fermented shrimp, the ingredient has not been integrated properly.
For production kitchens, weigh it. “One piece” is not a specification. Record the brand, gram weight, batch size, and whether it was toasted, fried, or used directly. That small discipline makes sambals and curry pastes far more consistent.
Related ingredients
Related techniques and equipment
- Tempering and blooming aromatics in hot fat — useful for understanding controlled aroma extraction.
- Dry toasting — for firm belacan and terasi when the regional preparation calls for it.
- Mortar and pestle — for sambal and curry-paste grinding.
- Wok or sauté pan — for frying aromatics and shrimp paste before vegetables, rice, or sauces are added.
Country cuisine connections
Malaysia · Indonesia · Singapore · Thailand · Philippines · Vietnam · Cambodia · Laos
Related recipes
- Malaysian Kangkung Belacan
- Indonesian Sambal Matah — a useful comparison with a fresh sambal style that does not depend on shrimp paste.
FAQ
Does shrimp paste always need to be toasted?
No. Firm belacan and some terasi are commonly toasted, but many moist shrimp pastes are fried with aromatics or incorporated directly into a paste or cooked sauce. Follow the regional method and the product style.
Is shrimp paste the same as fish sauce?
No. Both are fermented seafood seasonings, but shrimp paste is thicker, generally more concentrated and aromatic, and is made primarily from small crustaceans rather than the fish-based fermentation used for fish sauce.
Can I use belacan instead of terasi?
Sometimes, but adjust carefully. Their salt level, moisture, aroma, and fermentation character can differ. For a culturally specific dish, the named regional product is preferable.
Is shrimp paste safe for someone with a shellfish allergy?
No. Shrimp is a crustacean shellfish allergen, and fermentation does not make shrimp paste suitable for people who must avoid shrimp or crustacean shellfish.
Phoenix Culinary Knowledge Registry
Registry type: Ingredient Knowledge
Primary family: Fermented seafood seasoning
Core functions: umami, salinity, fermentation aroma, savoury depth
Primary regions: Southeast Asia
Key techniques: toasting, frying aromatics, grinding, curry-paste preparation, sambal preparation
Allergen flag: crustacean shellfish
Featured image standard
Editorial brief: Premium documentary food photograph of authentic Southeast Asian shrimp paste presented in two or three recognisable forms — a firm dark belacan or terasi block, a small bowl of moist paste, and a modest portion broken for cooking — on a restrained stone or dark wood work surface. Soft natural side light, realistic fermented texture, no text, packaging, hands, logos, decorative garnish, or exaggerated saturation. The image should feel like a professional ingredient reference, not a commercial product advertisement.
Alt text: Southeast Asian fermented shrimp paste shown as a firm block and moist paste ready for cooking.
References
- Kleekayai T, Pinitklang S, Laohakunjit N, Suntornsuk W. Volatile components and sensory characteristics of Thai traditional fermented shrimp pastes during fermentation periods. Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2016;53(3):1495–1505. DOI: 10.1007/s13197-015-2142-3.
- Surya R, Ervina E, Petsong K, Nugroho D. Profiling and Association of Microbiota and Volatile Compounds in Commercial Fermented Shrimp Pastes (Terasi). Foods. 2026;15(10):1623. DOI: 10.3390/foods15101623.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Food Allergies. FDA guidance on major food allergens, including crustacean shellfish such as shrimp.