Shrimp paste
salt | |
Shrimp paste | |
---|---|
Chinese name | |
Hán-Nôm | 𩻐𩵽 |
Thai name | |
Thai | กะปิ |
RTGS | ka-pi |
Malay name | |
Malay | belacan |
Indonesian name | |
Indonesian | terasi |
Filipino name | |
Tagalog | bagoóng alamáng |
Lao name | |
Lao | ກະປິ (kapi) |
Khmer name | |
Khmer | កាពិ (kābi) |
Shrimp paste or prawn sauce is a
History
Shrimp paste originated in
In Java, fermented shrimp paste (trasi or terasi), as mentioned in two ancient Sundanese scriptures, Carita Purwaka Caruban Nagari and Mertasinga, had been around before sixth century. According to Carita Purwaka Caruban Nagari, Cirebon had angered the King of Galuh Kingdom after they stopped paying a tribute (in the forms of shrimp paste and salt, their regional products) to him. In Mertasinga, it was mentioned that Cirebon was attacked by Galuh Kingdom because they stopped sending trasi to the king.[2][citation needed]
Shrimp paste was one of Java's most popular exports bought by traders from neighboring islands and abroad. According to Purwaka Caruban Nagari, Chinese Muslim explorer, Zheng He of Yunnan, used to buy trasi from Cirebon and brought it back to his homeland. He was the one who introduced trasi to China, a foreign condiment which later became popular and inspired locals to make their own version.[citation needed]
In 1707, William Dampier described trasi in his book "A New Voyage Round the World"; "A composition of a strong odor, but it became a very tasty meal for the indigenous people." Dampier described it further as a mixture of shrimp and small fish made into a kind of soft pickle with salt and water, and then the dough was packed tightly in a clay jar. The pickling process softens the fish and makes it mushy. Then they poured arrack into the jars to preserve them. "The mushy fish remains was called trassi," Dampier wrote; "The aroma is very strong. However, after adding a little part of it, the dish's flavour became quite savory."[3][citation needed]
In the 1880s, trassi was described by Anna Forbes during her visit to Ambon. Anna was the wife of British naturalist Henry Ogg Forbes; the couple travelled through the Dutch East Indies in the 1880s. In her journal she describes the culture, customs and tradition of the natives, including their culinary tradition. Because of this foul-smelled ingredient, she accused her cook of trying to poison her and threw away that "horrible rotten package". Later she wrote: "Then, I observed each dish of the native or European, those that I have consumed since my arrival in the East contains this; the essence of that rotten stuff that has been used as a spice."[3][citation needed]
Traditional Kapi is described by
Varieties
Shrimp paste may vary in appearance from pale liquid sauces to solid chocolate-coloured blocks. Shrimp paste produced in Hong Kong and Vietnam is typically a light pinkish grey; while the type used for Burmese, Lao, Cambodian, Thai, Indonesian cooking is darker brown. In the Philippines, they are commonly bright red or pink, due to the use of angkak (red yeast rice) as a colouring agent.[6][7] While all shrimp paste has a pungent aroma, the scent of higher grade shrimp paste is generally milder. Markets near villages producing shrimp paste are the best places to obtain the highest quality product. Shrimp paste varies between different Asian cultures and can vary in smell, texture and saltiness.[8]
Bagoóng alamáng
Bagoóng alamáng (also variously as aramáng, uyap, dayok, or ginamós, among others in various
Unlike in other parts of Southeast Asia and in
The word bagoóng, also refers to the sauce made with the
Burong Hipon
Balao-balao, also called burong hipon is a type of shrimp paste used in Kapampangan cuisine.
Belacan
Belacan, a Malay variety of shrimp paste, is prepared from small shrimp from the Acetes species, known as geragau in Malaysia or rebon in Indonesia. In Malaysia, the krill are typically steamed first, then mashed into a paste, and kept in storage for several months. The fermented shrimp are then prepared, fried and hard-pressed into cakes. William Marsden, an English writer, included the word in his "A Dictionary of the Malayan Language" published in 1812.[10]
Belacan is used as an ingredient in many dishes. A common preparation is
In Northern Australia, a variant of sambal belacan is known locally as blachan or blachung (a phonetic spelling of the Indonesian pronunciation), and is popularly prepared among Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander families in Broome, Darwin and Cairns. Its presence is credited to the influence of early Makassan traders.[14]
A version of belacan similar to Filipino "fresh"
In Sri Lanka, belacan is a key ingredient used to make Lamprais.[15]
Balchao
Galmbo are dried baby shrimps which are ground with dried red chillies, spices and palm vinegar to make a spice paste used in the sour, sweet and spicy sauce known as
Haam ha
Haam ha (Chinese: 鹹蝦; Cantonese Yale: hàahm hā; pinyin: xiánxiā) alternatively spelled "hom ha", also known as har cheong (Chinese: 蝦醬; Cantonese Yale: hā jeung; pinyin: xiājiàng).[16] It is a finely ground shrimp paste popular in southeastern Chinese cooking, and a staple seasoning in many places Cantonese people settled. It is lighter in colour compared to shrimp pastes made farther south. It is considered indispensable in many pork, seafood, and vegetable stir fry dishes. The smell and flavor are very strong. A pearl-sized ball of haam ha is enough to season a stir fry for two people. The shrimp paste industry has historically been important in the Hong Kong region, and Hong Kong factories continue to ship haam ha to communities around the world.[17]
Kapi
In Thailand, shrimp paste is called kapi (
Another common Thai food product is mun kung, which is confusingly also commonly translated as "shrimp paste". Mun kung is orange, oily, and more liquid while kapi is grey, light purple or even black, and much more solid and crumbly. Mun kung is actually the fat from inside the head of the shrimp, from the organ that plays the role of the liver and pancreas, making it somewhat like a shrimp
Mắm tôm
In Vietnam, shrimp paste (mắm tôm, IPA: [mam˧ˀ˦ tom˧]) are of two varieties: a thickened paste or a more liquefied sauce. To prepare for serving it is usually mixed with sugar, lime juice, kumquat and chili when used as a dipping sauce. Vietnamese people often use mắm tôm as a dipping sauce for boiled meat, fried tofu, fried fish or for seasoning some soup dishes, such as bún mắm.[19]
Ngapi yay
A watery dip or condiment that is very popular in Myanmar, especially the Burmese and Karen ethnic groups. The ngapi (either fish or shrimp, but mostly whole fish ngapi is used) is boiled with onions, tomato, garlic, pepper and other spices. The result is a greenish-grey broth-like sauce, which makes its way to every Burmese dining table. Fresh, raw or blanched vegetables and fruits (such as mint, cabbage, tomatoes, green mangoes, green apples, olives, chilli, onions and garlic) are dipped into the ngapi yay and eaten. Sometimes, in less affluent families, ngapi yay forms the main dish, and also the main source of protein.[citation needed]
Petis udang
Petis udang is a black coloured shrimp paste in Indonesia and Malaysia. Petis udang is a version of shrimp/prawn paste used in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. In Indonesia it is particularly popular in
Sidol
In the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh, shrimp paste is called sidol or nappi by the indigenous Jumma people. They use it to make vegetable food, such as bamboo shoots curry. This bamboo shoot curry is a traditional food of the indigenous Jumma people. They eat it in this way. First bamboo shoots are collected from the bamboo forest, then defoliated and boiled in water. Then boiling water is mixed with the shrimp paste. Some chili, garlic paste, salt, and flour are added to the shrimp paste mixed with water. The mixture is heated and, after a few minutes, put on the boiled bamboo shoots on the mixture while still heating. After some minutes, the food is ready to serve.[citation needed]
Terasi
Terasi (
On the island of Lombok, Indonesia, a more savoury and sweet shrimp paste called lengkare is made.[citation needed]
Industry
Shrimp paste continues to be made by fishing families in coastal villages. They sell it to
Preparation
Preparation techniques can vary greatly; however, the following procedure is most common in China, and much of Southeast Asia.[citation needed]
After being caught, small shrimp are unloaded, rinsed and drained before being dried. Drying can be done on plastic mats on the ground in the sun, on metal beds on low stilts, or using other methods. After several days, the shrimp-salt mixture[clarification needed] will darken and turn into a thick pulp. If the shrimp used to produce the paste were small, it is ready to be served as soon as the individual shrimp have broken-down beyond recognition. If the shrimp are larger, fermentation will take longer and the pulp will be ground to provide a smoother consistency. The fermentation/grinding process is usually repeated several times until the paste fully matures. The paste is then dried and cut into bricks by the villagers to be sold. Dried shrimp paste does not require refrigeration.[20][21][22]
Availability
Shrimp paste can be found in nations outside Southeast Asia in markets catering to Asian customers. In the Netherlands, Indonesian-style shrimp paste can be found in supermarkets selling Asian foods, such as Trassie Oedang from the Conimex brand. In the United States, brands of Thai shrimp paste such as Pantainorasingh and Tra Chang can be found. Shrimp pastes from other countries are also available in Asian supermarkets and through mail order. It is also readily available in Suriname due to the high concentration of Javanese inhabitants. In Australia, shrimp paste can be found in most suburbs where Southeast Asian people reside.[23][24]
See also
- Bagoong monamon – Philippine food ingredient made by fermenting salted anchovies
- Budu – Fish sauce originating from east coast of Peninsular Malaysia
- Conpoy – Cantonese dried scallop
- Dried shrimp – dried shrimp used as seasoning
- Fish paste – Paste made of fish meat
- Fish sauce – Condiment made from fish
- Garum – Historical fermented fish sauce
- Kangkung belacan– Asian vegetable dish
- Liquamen– Historical fermented fish sauce
- List of Thai ingredients
- Ma Wan – Island in Hong Kong island (Tin Liu village) for one the Hong Kong site producing the paste
- Padaek – Traditional Lao condiment made from pickled or fermented fish that has been cured
- Prahok – Cambodian salted and fermented fish paste
- Saeu-jeot – Fermented shrimp in Korean cuisine
- Sambal – Indonesian spicy relish or sauce
- Surströmming – Swedish fermented Baltic Sea herring
References
- ^ a b c Joshi, V.K. (2016). Indigenous Fermented Foods of South Asia. CRC Press. p. 22.
Shrimp paste originated in continental Southeast Asia, probably among the Cham and Mon people of Indo-china, from where it diffused southwards to insular Southeast Asia.
- ^ "Sejarah Asal-Usul Ditemukanya Terasi Serta Pengaruhnya Terhadap Kehancuran Kerajaan Sunda". Sejarah Cirebon (in Indonesian). 16 September 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- ^ a b Mahandis Yoanata Thamrin. "Terasi dalam Catatan Perjalanan Pelancong Terlawas". National Geographic Indonesia (in Indonesian). Retrieved 24 September 2015.
- ^ de La Loubère, Simon (1693). A New Historical Relation of the Kingdom of Siam CHAP. IV. Concerning the Table of the Siameses. Translated by A.P.
- ^ de La Loubère, Simon (1691). Du Royaume de Siam par Monsieur de La Loubere envoyé extraordinaire du Roy auprès du roy de Siam en 1687. & 1688: Volume 1 (in French). Vol. 1. Chez la Vve de Jean-Baptiste Coignard et Jean BaptisteCoignard. p. 154.
- ISBN 9781466565302.
- ISBN 9789251028780.
- ^ "TERASI – (Dried Shrimp Paste)". Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
- ^ In Western Visayas, shrimp paste or "ginamos" is prepared in a very similar way as in other Southeast Asian nations. In Iloilo, especially in Banate (famous for this delicacy), the minute shrimps or "hipon" are salted, dried under the sun, and then grounded.
- ^ Marsden, William (1 January 1812). A Dictionary of the Malayan Language. Cox and Baylis – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "3 Easy Ways to Roast Belacan (Dried Shrimp Paste)". Archived from the original on 19 November 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
- ISBN 9781449406974– via Google Books.
- ^ Eats, Serious. "An Intro to Malaysian Food: The Ingredients".
- ^ "'If you haven't had blachan, you haven't been to Darwin'". ABC News. 17 June 2022. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
- ^ "History baked in a banana leaf". Explore Parts Unknown. 25 October 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ "Shrimp Sauce / Paste". Archived from the original on 25 March 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
- ^ "A taste of the sea: Tai O's famous shrimp paste". Food. 5 June 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ อาหารการกินแห่งลุ่มทะเลสาบ.สงขลา: เครือข่ายสตรรอบทะเลสาบ. 2551. หน้า 34–35
- ^ Mộc Miên (21 March 2017). "Mắm tôm – đặc sản dậy mùi vùng duyên hải xứ Thanh" (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 6 May 2018.
- ^ "Shrimp Paste – Gkabi". Retrieved 11 July 2011.
- ^ "Dried shrimp paste". Retrieved 11 July 2011.
- ^ "How Shrimp Paste is Made". Retrieved 11 July 2011.
- ^ "Shrimp Paste". Retrieved 11 July 2011.
- ^ "Ethnic Cuisine: Indonesia". Archived from the original on 22 January 2009. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
External links
- Media related to Shrimp paste at Wikimedia Commons
- Thai Shrimp Paste Kasma Loha-unchit in Dancing Shrimp: Favorite Thai Recipes for Seafood.