How to Make Delicious Shrimp Paste, Authentic Flavor, Extremely Simple at Home

How to Make Shrimp Paste

• 1

  Prepare the shrimp

  Put the shrimp in a basket, pick and sort carefully, cut off the antennae at the head, and remove impurities and dirt from the shrimp, then add salt and mix, and rinse several times with water.

  Continue rinsing the shrimp until the water is clear and no more sediment is visible.

  Be sure to rinse the shrimp thoroughly so that the shrimp paste tastes better and does not spoil.

  Tips for cleaning shrimp without fishy smell

  • After cleaning the shrimp, you can soak them in diluted salt water, then drain them to reduce the strong fishy smell of the shrimp.
  • Alternatively, you can use a little sugar and white alcohol to soak the shrimp for a few minutes to eliminate the fishy smell.

  
• 2

  Grind the shrimp

  Boil a pot of water, dilute the white alcohol and let it cool, then add it to the shrimp and stir gently.

  Then take the shrimp out, rinse with clean water, and let them drain.

  When the shrimp are drained, put them in a mortar and use a pestle to grind the shrimp until finely mashed.

  Or you can use a blender to grind the shrimp. However, it is still recommended to use a pestle to mash the shrimp for a richer and more delicious shrimp paste.

  

  

  
• 3

  Making Rice Flour

  Mix two types of rice and soak them in clean water for about 5 – 6 hours. If possible, soak them overnight from the previous evening to save time.

  After that, drain the soaked rice in a sieve, rinse it thoroughly, and shake it several times to reduce the moisture. Place it in a cool, ventilated area to let it dry completely.

  Prepare a hot pan, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Add a portion of the drained rice to the pan and stir continuously with chopsticks.

  When you observe that the rice turns a slightly darker yellow, turn off the heat. Keep stirring the rice to make it crispy and change to a deeper yellow while the pan is still hot.

  Then transfer the roasted rice to a separate bowl. Repeat until all the rice is done.

  Wait for the rice to cool. Prepare a mortar and pestle or a grinder to continue with the grinding step. For this dish, you should grind the rice until it becomes fine powder. This way, the flour will stick better to the meat.

  After grinding the flour finely, place it in a glass jar and store it in a cool place for later use. Now you have homemade flour that ensures safety and health.

  Note: Do not pour all the rice into the pan at once, but divide it into smaller portions, roasting each part one at a time and stirring continuously to prevent burning; the rice will be crispier and more evenly yellow.

  

  

  

  
• 4

  Soaking shrimp paste

  Put the crushed shrimp into the jar, alternating with a layer of salt, followed by a layer of roasted rice flour. Continue to alternate shrimp, salt, and rice flour until the jar is full.

  Leave the jar for 10 – 15 days in a dry environment, and it can be sun-dried at a moderate temperature.

  Note: The jar for the shrimp paste needs to be cleaned and rinsed with boiling water for glass jars, then allowed to dry completely. Use a glass jar to easily observe the color of the shrimp paste.

  

  
• 5

  Final product

  The shrimp paste when completed will have an attractive color, appealing appearance, and the characteristic aroma of shrimp paste along with a rich flavor that pairs perfectly with a bowl of hot rice.