Shallot Chutney with Chiles

When I was at lunch with Karen friends in a village near Moulmein, a Mon neighbor of theirs brought this contribution to the meal. She told me that it is eaten as a condiment or topping for rice. In poorer households in Mon State, it might be the only topping, in fact. There’s a depth of umami flavor, a pungency from the dried shrimp powder and the touch of toasted shrimp paste.