BLACHAN,(DRIED PRAWN PASTE)

Lady's fingers with Blachan dip.


The Blachan on the right is home made, the one on the left is from the shops.

BELACHAN

Hi people,
Today’s subject is a Malay condiment, ‘Belachan’, there are many variations to the spelling, blacan, blachen, and belacan all means the same thing.

Belachan is made from fermented tiny shrimps (gerago). In the old days, the shrimps are mixed with salt and left to ferment in a jar, buried in the earth. This is then dug up after months, pressed into blocks and dried in the sun.

To use the belachan, slice off a piece. Some recipes call for raw belachan, while others you have to toast over a fire.

The smell of raw or toasted blachan is over powering to most westerners. Imagine rotting shrimps!! It is either a love or hate affair. Toasted blachan pounded with chilies goes very well with stir fry vegetables.

Blachan is sold as ‘Dried shrimp paste’. People in kampongs still make their own blachan. You will find that the home made blachan is a light pink colour while the ones you buy in shops are dark brown.

TIP.
For my own substitute to blachan, I add a few dried prawns. For those bothered by the smell omit it.

Today’s recipe is a simple boiled lady’s finger or okra with a sambal blachan dip.

Ingredients.
20 lady’s fingers, boiled 10 mins till soft.
Drain, arrange on a plate , drizzle with garlic and onion oil.
Serve with the sambal blachan tip.

Sambal blachan dip.
Toast 1 slice blachan, pound with 3 red chilies, add lemon juice , a pinch of sugar.

copyright(c) May Fam 2005.