Belacan Shrimp Paste Food

BELACAN RECIPE

Steps:

• Firstly, take out a dry pan and place the shrimp paste in it. Then, toast the shrimp paste until fragrant. Once done, remove it and set aside to cool.
• Next, put in the shrimp paste and chillies into a stone mortar. Pound them using the pestle, ensure that they are evenly mixed. You can also use an electronic blender or a food processor for this step.
• After that, squeeze in the calamansi juice to the pounded shrimp paste and chillies. Add salt and sugar to taste. Stir it to mix.
• Lastly, store the sambal in a dry and clean jar or bottle. You can store the it in the refrigerator up to one month.

SAMBAL BELACAN

Steps:

• Clean chilies with running water, seeded and sliced. Transfer the chilies to a mortar.
• Heat up a wok or pan on low heat and "toast" the belacan until aromatic. The texture of the belacan would turn dry and powdery after toasting. Transfer out and add to the chilies and start pounding with the pestle until fine. (Some people like their sambal belacan somewhat coarse so it's personal preference.)
• Transfer out to a bowl, add salt and sugar to taste and add lime juice (or Calamansi lime juice). Blend well. You can keep the sambal in the refrigerator for a couple of days, or freeze in the freezer for a longer period.

BELACAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Soak the de-seeded dried chili peppers in 1 cup of warm water for 15-20 minutes.
• While the dried peppers are soaking, de-stem and de-seed the Holland peppers, removing the membranes as well. You can leave the seeds in if you like your sauce very spicy. Cut each pepper into 3 pieces. If using, chop the Thai chilies.
• Take half of your shallots and finely chop them. With the other half, thinly slice them. (You can also chop them, but I think slices add another textural dimension to the final sauce.
• Drain the dried chili peppers, and set aside the soaking water. To the bowl of a food processor or blender, add the dried peppers, Holland peppers, Thai chilies (if using), half of the shallots (i.e. your chopped shallots, setting aside the slices for later), and garlic. Pulse until the mixture is smooth, or if you prefer, a coarse paste. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure the mixture is evenly processed.
• Heat a frying pan or wok over medium heat. Add the oil and chopped dried shrimp. Fry over medium to medium low heat for 3-5 minutes.
• Put the belacan in a mortar and pestle to break it up (you can also put it in a small bowl and break it up with a fork). Add it to the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the belacan is melted into the sauce.
• Add the sliced shallots, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until translucent.
• Next, add the chili, garlic and shallot paste. Stir to combine, and add ½ cup of the reserved pepper soaking water. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the fish sauce and brown sugar. Continue to cook for another 15 minutes.
• Let the mixture cool, and transfer to a clean jar or other airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 weeks, or freeze (it should last up to 1 year frozen).

SAMBAL BELACAN

Steps:

• Toast belacan in a small pan until crumbly. This will take about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove and allow it to cool.
• Remove seeds from chilies and cut into small pieces.
• Transfer the chilies to a stone mortar. Pound with the pestle until the pieces are broken. Add toasted belacan and continue to pound until desired fineness. Alternatively, chilies and toasted belacan may be place in a food processor and processed until fine.
• Squeeze in the lime juice and stir to mix. Transfer to a small dish.
• If not consuming right away, transfer to a jar and store in the refrigerator. Squeeze in the lime juice just before serving. Best consumed within 2 to 3 days.

MALAYSIAN SAMBAL BELACAN RECIPE

Steps:

• Blend the onion and garlic with some oil with an electric blender. Add some water to facilitate blending if necessary.
• Boil the dried chili in water for ten minutes. Remove and drain.
• Cut fresh red chilies into sections. Blend both chilies with some oil and water to form a chili paste.
• Soak the dried shrimp in water for fifteen minutes. Drain. Blend the dried shrimp until it looks like meat floss.
• Place the belacan in a small pan without oil, roast it slowly until it is thoroughly dry, and break up into large granules.
• Saute the onion and garlic over low to medium heat until slightly brown and aromatic.
• Soak the tamarind pulp in hot water for ten minutes, then remove the pulp and seeds by pouring through a strainer.
• Add the dried shrimp, belacan, palm sugar chili paste, and tamarind juice to the sambal. Simmer over low heat for thirty minutes.
• Season with salt.
• When the red oil starts bubbling around the paste, it is done.

STIR-FRY BELACAN WITH KANGKUNG RECIPE

Steps:

• Discard the fibrous section of the kangkung (close to the root).
• Wash the kangkung thoroughly
• Drain the kangkung in a colander before use.
• Separate the stems from the leaves
• Cut to divide the kangkung into the stems and leaves sections. Cut the stems into five cm short sections.
• Place the belacan in a saucepan without oil and toast it until it begins to smoke. Remove.
• Clean the dry shrimps with water. Soak it in water for at least ten minutes until it becomes soft. Coarsely chopped.
• Blend all the ingredients for the sambal until smooth.
• Saute the sambal over low heat until aromatic.
• Add the stems and stir fry over medium heat for two minutes. You can add one to two tablespoons of water if it is too dry.
• Add the salt and sugar.
• Add the leaves and continue to stir fry until it wilts down.
• Dish out and serve with steamed rice.

SAMBAL BELACAN - MALAY CHILLI PASTE WITH SHRIMP PASTE

Steps:

• If you are using a pestle and mortar, start by pounding the chillies, sugar and salt.
• When it has reached the semi coarse stage, add the shrimp, pound for a minute.
• Then finally, add the lime juice and zest and mix well.
• Store in a clean jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

KANGKUNG BELACAN

Steps:

• Be sure to rinse water spinach well as it can be gritty. Allow vegetables to drain in colander for at least an hour or use a salad spinner to get rid of excessive water.
• Blend red chilies, shallots, garlic, dried shrimps, and belacan with 2 to 3 tablespoons of water into a paste.
• In a large pan or wok, heat oil. Saute blended mixture for 4 to 5 minutes until it is fragrant.
• Add kangkung and fry on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes until vegetables are wilted. Add a little salt to taste.
• Remove and serve immediately with steamed rice.

SAMBAL BELACAN

Steps:

• Belacan has an intense aroma, so it is best to open a window or turn on the stove's exhaust fan to its highest setting when toasting it. Toast the belacan in a frying pan over medium heat, using the back of a spatula to rub it against the surface of the pan. Stir and continue to toast until it is brittle and lightens in color, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve.
• Seed the chiles if you prefer a milder sauce. Finely chop the chiles. Transfer the chiles and makrut lime leaf to a mortar, and grind with a pestle until blended. Stir in the toasted belacan and continue to pound until you obtain a fine, dark paste. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, pulse the ingredients with a small blender or food processor to form a chunky purée. Use a spatula to keep pressing down the paste as you blend to make it smoother.
• Add sugar and salt to taste. Sugar helps tone down the pungency; salt is optional and usually unnecessary. The sauce should be a balance between savory and spicy. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, squeeze the limes into the sambal and mix well.

TOASTED BELACAN (DRIED SHRIMP PASTE) RECIPE

Steps:

• Cut belacan into thin slices. Preheat oven to 375 F.
• Place the belacan slices slightly apart on a roasting pan. Roast for about 4 to 7 minutes or until the edges start to brown. Let it cool before use. Note that roasting belacan this way will make your kitchen smoky and smell strongly for some time. Leaving the windows and doors open will help to clear the odors.
• Heat a dry pan or wok over medium heat. Add thin slices of belachan and fry until they are brown and their pungent smell is released.
• Check to see if they have been well cooked by taking a slice and breaking it in two. It should break like a crisp biscuit and the inside should be brown and dry and not soft.