Fresh Shrimp Juice

Shrimp juice and diced shrimp were in almost every vegetable dish I ate as a child in Manila. Fresh shrimp are easier to get on the islands than here in the United States. I remember the shock of once again tasting freshly caught suahe [small shrimp] in Iba, Zambales, that were stir-fried alive and jumping in the carajay. They were so sweet—the true flavor of shrimp, so unlike the taste of chlorine that is used to preserve frozen shrimp in the United States. Shrimp juice is the most delicious flavoring agent for Philippine-style sautéed vegetables. Even the most bland squashes like patola or bottleneck gourds become delicious if shrimp juice is added to them while cooking.