How to use Belacan (Shrimp Paste)
Belacan, or shrimp paste in English, is almost always dry roasted before being used in a recipe.
Equipment
- a small frying pan
- spatula
- butter knife or spoon for scraping off
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp belacan amount as your recipe calls for
- 1-2 Tbsp dried shrimp can be used as a substitute read article above
Instructions
- Place the belacan in a small frying pan on medium-low heat to roast.1 Tbsp belacan
- Flatten it as much as you can to get as much of the surface area roasted as possible; it will stick to the back of your spatula. Just scrape it off and add back to the pan.
- Turn the heat down to low and roast for about 5 minutes. Flip it over halfway. If it's in bits, as much as possible. You’ll start getting a really strong odour, and when you think you can’t take it anymore, it’s done!But seriously, if you’re not sure, give it 5 minutes, maybe even 10, if you have a bigger, thicker piece, keeping a close eye on it, take it off before it burns, when it looks nicely charred, and is a lighter brown than the uncooked paste.Whether your belacan stays in one piece and how long it needs depends a little on the type you bought - soft or hard.
Nutrition
Serving: 1TbspCalories: 48kcalProtein: 11gFat: 1gCholesterol: 171mgSodium: 528mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 1mg
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