Sing Long Belacan Shrimp Paste, 1 Packet, 250g, Manufactured in Penang, Malaysia [Air Flown from Singapore]

Sing Long Belacan is a well known Penang specialty. Belacan is a hardened block of shrimp paste, made from fermenting tiny shrimp mixed with salt. Grounding it into paste, then sun dried, shaped into blocks, and allowed to ferment again. The resulting blocks are chalky and only slightly moist. Belacan has a pungent smell and taste. It is always toasted and used in small quantities to give a savory depth of flavor to traditional dishes that are widely use in South East Asia. Product of Malaysia. Shrimp paste or prawn sauce is a fermented condiment commonly used in Southeast Asian and Southern Chinese cuisines. It is primarily made from finely crushed shrimp or krill mixed with salt, and then fermented for several weeks. They are either sold in their wet form or are sun-dried and either cut into rectangular blocks or sold in bulk. It is an essential ingredient in many curries, sauces and sambal. Shrimp paste can be found in many meals in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. It is often an ingredient in dip for fish or vegetables. “Belachan” is a shrimp paste. It is primarily made from finely crushed shrimp and mixed with salt, and then ferment for a few days / weeks. It is made up of fermented shrimp, so you would expect it to have a very strong odor (and if you are not used to it, it can really be a quite offending smell).