Shrimp paste noun

A fermented paste of tiny shrimp and salt, the savoury backbone of Thai curry pastes and relishes.

Deeply savoury and salty with a pronounced fermented aroma that mellows completely once cooked.

Use in small amounts, always cooked: toast a spoonful wrapped in foil or fry it into paste before adding liquid. Essential to authentic curry pastes and nam prik; vegan pastes replace it with fermented soybean.

Made along the Gulf of Thailand for centuries by salting and sun-drying krill, then pounding and ageing it. Its presence is why many traditional pastes are not vegetarian; check the label.