Belacan / Terasi (Shrimp Paste)

Origin: Malaysia (belacan) and Indonesia (terasi). A pungent, fermented block of ground shrimp, salted and dried or fermented over weeks, used as a raw ingredient toasted or fried before incorporation rather than eaten directly.

Flavor Profile: Intensely funky, salty, and savory-umami in its raw form; mellows into a deep savory background note once cooked.

Culinary Uses: Foundational flavoring ingredient for sambal, curry pastes, and stir-fries across Malay and Indonesian cooking — almost always cooked or toasted before use, never eaten raw.

Regional Variations: Malaysian belacan tends to be pressed into firmer blocks; Indonesian terasi varies regionally in color (pink to dark brown) and pungency.

Storage: Keeps for many months to over a year at room temperature or refrigerated given its high salt and fermentation.

Notes: Contains shellfish — flag for allergen purposes; distinct from the finished sambal terasi condiment above, which uses this paste as one ingredient among several.