Shrimp Paste

Kapi (Thai) or belacan (Malaysian) are the most common names you will see for this potent, pungent and salty ingredient. Small prawns (shrimp) are ground with salt, sun-dried and packed into small plastic containers. You might wonder how such a foul-smelling ingredient can add such a tremendous depth of flavour, but it’s all down to the magic of the umami/salty/fishy elements. Kapi is used in blended curry pastes and chilli jams and pounded into sauces for Indonesian and Malaysian dishes. Shrimp paste is very intense, so err on the side of small amounts.