Belacan spinach

Belacan, also known as (and pronounced) blachan, has a gloriously foul, dead-fishy stench - the street smell of Malaysia - giving you a real whiff of the wharves covered in trays of tiny salted, fermented shrimps all along the Malaysian coastline. When cooked, this dried shrimp paste has a rich, complex flavour and - thankfully - a more acceptable aroma. Serve as a side dish to char-grilled fish, a fiery Malaysian curry, steamed prawns, or fried noodles.