Food Encyclopedia

shrimp paste

A southeast Asian shrimp paste, known variously as terasi, trasi and trassi. It comes in cakes that can range from soft and grayish-pink to firm and brownish in color. Shrimp paste is made by grinding up salted, fermented shrimp and has a strong, salty, fishy flavor. It's used sparingly in myriad Asian preparations, particularly soups, sauces and rice dishes. The pungent odor dissipates somewhat during cooking.