Photo from Adobe Stock
Makes: 1 cup
Prep Time: 10 minutes, 20 minutes soak time
Fermentation Time: 3 days, 3 days refrigeration
Skill Level: Beginner
A classic seasoning for everything from soups to curries to sauces in Southeast Asian cooking, homemade shrimp paste is a vibrantly bright condiment with a pungent aroma and big flavor, unlike store-bought versions, which tend to fall flat in both color and complexity. If you are having trouble finding whole dried shrimp, check out a local Asian or Latino market, where they are generally available.
Ingredients:
- 1 ounce dried whole shrimp
- 4 or 5 dried Thai chiles
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon whey
Photo from Adobe Stock
Steps:
- Place the shrimp in a small pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cook for about 3 minutes, turn off the heat, and leave them to steep for 20 minutes.
- Drain the shrimp, reserving the cooking water.
- Place the chiles in a bowl, and cover them with the hot cooking water. Set aside to rehydrate for about 20 minutes.
- Add the shrimp, rehydrated chiles, garlic, sugar, salt, and fish sauce to a blender, and process for just a few seconds, until chunky. Add the whey and a bit of the cooking water — add about a tablespoon at a time — until you have a smooth paste. Puree until very smooth.
- Transfer to a jar, cover it, and leave the shrimp paste to ferment at room temperature for 3 days. Refrigerate it for 3 more days before using. Open and use within 2 months.
Also from DIY Fermentation:
- Fermented Tofu Recipe
- Mackerel Recipe
- Ketchup Recipe
- Ranch Dressing Recipe
- Fermented Almond Milk Recipe
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Reprinted with permission from DIY Fermentation: Over 100 Step-by-Step Home Fermentation Recipes by Katherine Green and published by Rockridge Press, 2015.
