Belacan

The Malaysian version of fermented, compressed prawn (shrimp) paste, known as kapi in Thailand, trasi in Indonesia and mam ruoc in Vietnam. It is made by salting small shrimps, fermenting them in the sun and then mashing them to a paste. Belacan is dark brown in colour and is usually sold in block form. When dry-roasted and crumbled and added to a dish, it gives a complexity of flavour. Belacan has a pungent aroma and should be stored in a plastic bag in an airtight container in the refrigerator.