Shrimp Pastealso: กะปิ · belacan · mam tom · bagoong

Origin

Each coastal Southeast Asian culture has its own version — Thai kapi, Malaysian/Indonesian belacan, Vietnamese mắm tôm, Filipino bagoong, Cambodian prahok.

What it tastes like

Funky, salty, deeply marine. Always cooked, never eaten raw.

How it's used

Mashed into Thai curry pastes. Fried with sambal in Malaysia. Mixed into Vietnamese dipping sauces. Dropped into Cambodian fish soups.

Buying

Refrigerated paste in plastic tubs (Thai), dry brick form (Malaysian). Pantai is reliable for Thai, Mak Nyonya for Malaysian. The paste should look brownish-purple, never grey or black.

Substitutes

Anchovy paste + a pinch of dried shrimp powder. Not equivalent but functional.

Storage

Refrigerated, sealed in a separate plastic bag (the smell migrates). Indefinitely stable.