At Peter's recommendation, I bought Golden Boy Fish Sauce, and did a taste
test with Tiparos Fish Sauce, and my, what a difference!

So now I'm wondering: Is there any difference between the Malaysian
blachan/belacan, and the Burmese ngapi and the Thai kapi and the Indonesian
trassi?

Does anybody know?

I have a cake of belacan that I bought in Malaysia and several jars of
trassi, but have not bought the Thai/Burmese versions of this amazingly
pungent yet delicious shrimp concoction.

If anyone knows if there's a difference, please let me know.

Also, is "bagoong" the Pilipino version of this?

Thanks for any help,

sq

They are basically the same thing but each might differ a little. Here's how
they make dried shrimp paste. It use to be said that shrimp paste varies
from season to season, depending on the catch & weather but with modern
factory made ones, the same branded ones always taste the same as production
is controlled. In the old days, basically one would trawl the shores during
shrimp season at rising tide with a make-shift net (normally a mosquito net
in the old days) & catch little shrimps. These would be washed with sea
water & sundried on the beach first. Later bringing home the catch, they
would be mixed with salt & dried again then pounded, compacted into blocks
or rounds & sundried again. Depending on the situation, it might need to be
pounded & sundried again a few more times before it is ready for use or sold
on. This helps it from rotting or going bad. The more times it is sundried,
the better & longer it will lasts. The amount of salt added varies for each
type & modern factory processed ones(most of todays) which are exported
might have colour dye added to it, for example pink. But the traditional is
a dark brown colour. If you find ones that have the imprints of bamboo mats
or coconut fronds on them, these are the more traditional, homemade ones but
are hard to find & unlikely found for export, normally for local or village
use etc. I find these ones more pungent as they have more shrimp in them &
not too salty & give better results in cooking. Factory made ones, depending
on brand, i've found some really salty & inferior. If you find a brand you
like, keep buying it.

Each country will probably have a similar way of 'making' dried shrimp
paste, some might end up in jars while others dried into blocks but
essentially, they are dried salted shrimps in various shape or size. My
advice is, use what is recommended by the recipe. Example, if it's a
Filipino recipe & it asks for Bagoong, use bagoong. But if you can't find
bagoong, then use any of the different named ones.

By the way... i was told that they also have shrimp paste in Laos &
Cambodia.

DC.




"mroo philpott-smythe" wrote in message
...

At Peter's recommendation, I bought Golden Boy Fish Sauce, and did a taste
test with Tiparos Fish Sauce, and my, what a difference!

So now I'm wondering: Is there any difference between the Malaysian
blachan/belacan, and the Burmese ngapi and the Thai kapi and the
Indonesian
trassi?

Does anybody know?

I have a cake of belacan that I bought in Malaysia and several jars of
trassi, but have not bought the Thai/Burmese versions of this amazingly
pungent yet delicious shrimp concoction.

If anyone knows if there's a difference, please let me know.

Also, is "bagoong" the Pilipino version of this?

Thanks for any help,

sq

"DC." not@home wrote in
:

They are basically the same thing but each might differ a little.
Here's how they make dried shrimp paste.

[snip highly educational info]

If you find
ones that have the imprints of bamboo mats or coconut fronds on them,
these are the more traditional, homemade ones but are hard to find &
unlikely found for export, normally for local or village use etc.

I'm planning a trip to Malaysia soon, perhaps I'll stop off in Malacca
and see if I can find some real home made blachan. Thanks for the tip!

I
find these ones more pungent as they have more shrimp in them & not
too salty & give better results in cooking. Factory made ones,
depending on brand, i've found some really salty & inferior. If you
find a brand you like, keep buying it.

The one I like best is unbelievably stinky. It comes in hard dark-brown
oblong cakes wrapped in plain brown paper. I double or triple bag them
before putting in the frig.

[snip]

My advice is, use what is recommended by the recipe. Example, if it's
a Filipino recipe & it asks for Bagoong, use bagoong. But if you can't
find bagoong, then use any of the different named ones.

Heh. I can see it now, I'll have six different types in the house!

By the way... i was told that they also have shrimp paste in Laos &
Cambodia.

Alamak, sudah habis, man, must buy. Problem is, where to find?

sq, "Planning trips to all those countries, now"

snip
[snip highly educational info]

You betcha... better write them all down before i forget them, my memory is
going....

I'm planning a trip to Malaysia soon, perhaps I'll stop off in Malacca
and see if I can find some real home made blachan. Thanks for the tip!

Malacca, Penang & Sabah are the well known places in Malaysia that
'produces' dried seafoods. If you're in the East Coast, a trip to Kota
Bahru's central market & the evening food market in the carpark is a must
for anyone who enjoys good authentic village & homemade food.

The one I like best is unbelievably stinky. It comes in hard dark-brown
oblong cakes wrapped in plain brown paper. I double or triple bag them
before putting in the frig.

Ahhh... i see, i'm talking to a fellow blacan connoisseur, i just dump my
stash into a airtight tuperware in the fridge. Can you get Cincalok in the
States? we're quite lucky as we can get all these here... if you know where
to go.

Heh. I can see it now, I'll have six different types in the house!

Heeheee.... & not many friends or neighbours around! LOL.

Alamak, sudah habis, man, must buy. Problem is, where to find?

AiYeeoohhh... why so desperate? 6 not enough ahh? Hwahahaaaa.... Boleh lah
6, more than me OK. I only have 1 block at a time from P.Pinang, sometimes
from Sabah if i can persuade some sad person to bring it in for me.

If you have a Vietnamese community or even a Laotian community, i'm sure you
can find it if you take a deep enough breath & sniff it out! I get most of
my Vietnamese stuff from the small Vietnamese community in London, anything
else i can't get, i head over to Paris as they have a very large Vietnamese
distict in & around place d'italie area.

sq, "Planning trips to all those countries, now"

Just got back a few months myself... larder is now well & truely stocked to
massive & stinking propotions! : )

DC.

"DC." not@home wrote in
:

snip

[snip highly educational info]

You betcha... better write them all down before i forget them, my
memory is going....

I saved it. %^)

You know, they say memory is the second thing to go ...

I'm planning a trip to Malaysia soon, perhaps I'll stop off in
Malacca and see if I can find some real home made blachan. Thanks for
the tip!

Malacca, Penang & Sabah are the well known places in Malaysia that
'produces' dried seafoods. If you're in the East Coast, a trip to Kota
Bahru's central market & the evening food market in the carpark is a
must for anyone who enjoys good authentic village & homemade food.

OK, will make that part of the itinerary. Going to Penang, too. Got to
see the old E&O Hotel one more time, assuming it's still there.

The one I like best is unbelievably stinky. It comes in hard
dark-brown oblong cakes wrapped in plain brown paper. I double or
triple bag them before putting in the frig.

Ahhh... i see, i'm talking to a fellow blacan connoisseur, i just dump
my stash into a airtight tuperware in the fridge.

You know you can never get the smell out of the tupperware!

Can you get Cincalok
in the States? we're quite lucky as we can get all these here... if
you know where to go.

Don't know. I think I saw some in a Pilipino store once (where I went to
load up on kerupuk and belindjo nut crisps), but I didn't buy it at the
time and the store closed. However, I'm checking all the stores for
anything familiar (or anything truly weird and strange and unknown) to
buy, so I may have to remodel the kitchen soon.

Heh. I can see it now, I'll have six different types in the house!

Heeheee.... & not many friends or neighbours around! LOL.

You think I'm so unselfish as to *share* my wonderful blachan! Forget it.
No one gets in till the blachan has been cooked up!


AiYeeoohhh... why so desperate? 6 not enough ahh? Hwahahaaaa.... Boleh
lah 6, more than me OK. I only have 1 block at a time from P.Pinang,
sometimes from Sabah if i can persuade some sad person to bring it in
for me.

Hopeless case, lah, you know the type. See only must get.

If you have a Vietnamese community or even a Laotian community, i'm
sure you can find it if you take a deep enough breath & sniff it out!
I get most of my Vietnamese stuff from the small Vietnamese community
in London, anything else i can't get, i head over to Paris as they
have a very large Vietnamese distict in & around place d'italie area.

You know what they say - if you have to ask directions to the blachan
factory, your nose is not working properly! I remember going to Malacca
to buy blachan years ago, and boy, the smell near the blachan factory!!!

Busuk sekali!

sq, "Planning trips to all those countries, now"

Just got back a few months myself... larder is now well & truely
stocked to massive & stinking propotions! : )

My house is full of stinky fermented black beans, fish sauce, blachan,
asafoetida. Maybe that's why the cats and dog prefer staying home to
going out?

But I draw the line when my partner brings durians back from the market.
I make him eat those outside!

sq

"mroo philpott-smythe" wrote:
[ . . . ]
But I draw the line when my partner brings durians back from the market.
I make him eat those outside!

What is your major malfunction? Maybe he just needs some instruction in
buying the best durian! Only by odor can one determine whether a durian is
truly ripe. Wake up, and smell the Durio zibethinus!

You can put it in a salad, you can put it in a pie. Any way you want to eat
it, it's impossible to beat it!

--
Nick. Christmas Day, the twenty-fifth Day of December, being established a
Federal holiday by an Act of Congress on June 28, 1870: Merry Christmas!
Celebrate Bill of Rights Day, 12/15 http://www.saf.org/viewpr.asp?id=134
Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

wrote in
:
"mroo philpott-smythe" wrote:

[ . . . ]

But I draw the line when my partner brings durians back from the
market. I make him eat those outside!

What is your major malfunction? Maybe he just needs some instruction
in buying the best durian! Only by odor can one determine whether a
durian is truly ripe. Wake up, and smell the Durio zibethinus!

Eh, I grew up eating the stuff. My father used to *grow* his own. After
getting 20 katties at a time (approx 40 lb) during durian season, and
having durian feasts day and night with durian cake, durian custard,
durian fresh, durian cooked - even roasted durian seeds - I have totally
surfeited on durian. Plus you can't get the smell out of your hair and
clothes for days!

The partner knows what a good durian smells like. Boy, does he know! He
always finds the stinkiest possible durian to bring home! I can only wash
the curtains so many times a month, you know!

You can put it in a salad, you can put it in a pie. Any way you want
to eat it, it's impossible to beat it!

I have to admit still loving the taste of the fresh, and some of the
dodol (traditional durian sweet made with dark palm sugar) is pretty
fantastic, but I've had enough durian for a lifetime.

I still remember my parents coming home with a *carload* of durians,
spreading newspapers all over the floor, and bringing out the parang (big
machete) to cut them open and hand out the fruit. Start at 6 pm and
finish at midnight and then lie around all bloated up from eating it.

sq

wrote in
:
"mroo philpott-smythe" wrote:

[ . . . ]

But I draw the line when my partner brings durians back from the
market. I make him eat those outside!

What is your major malfunction? Maybe he just needs some instruction
in buying the best durian! Only by odor can one determine whether a
durian is truly ripe. Wake up, and smell the Durio zibethinus!

Eh, I grew up eating the stuff. My father used to *grow* his own. After
getting 20 katties at a time (approx 40 lb) during durian season, and
having durian feasts day and night with durian cake, durian custard,
durian fresh, durian cooked - even roasted durian seeds - I have totally
surfeited on durian. Plus you can't get the smell out of your hair and
clothes for days!

The partner knows what a good durian smells like. Boy, does he know! He
always finds the stinkiest possible durian to bring home! I can only wash
the curtains so many times a month, you know!

You can put it in a salad, you can put it in a pie. Any way you want
to eat it, it's impossible to beat it!

I have to admit still loving the taste of the fresh, and some of the
dodol (traditional durian sweet made with dark palm sugar) is pretty
fantastic, but I've had enough durian for a lifetime.

I still remember my parents coming home with a *carload* of durians,
spreading newspapers all over the floor, and bringing out the parang (big
machete) to cut them open and hand out the fruit. Start at 6 pm and
finish at midnight and then lie around all bloated up from eating it.

sq

"mroo philpott-smythe" wrote:

I have to admit still loving the taste of the fresh, and some of the
dodol (traditional durian sweet made with dark palm sugar) is pretty
fantastic, but I've had enough durian for a lifetime.

I always bring tubes of that home to Farangland. My kids chomp it down like
it's candy. Oh, it is! °~)

I still remember my parents coming home with a *carload* of durians,
spreading newspapers all over the floor, and bringing out the parang (big
machete) to cut them open and hand out the fruit. Start at 6 pm and
finish at midnight and then lie around all bloated up from eating it.

Ain't life good? burp

--
Nick. Christmas Day, the twenty-fifth Day of December, being established a
Federal holiday by an Act of Congress on June 28, 1870: Merry Christmas!
Celebrate Bill of Rights Day, 12/15 http://www.saf.org/viewpr.asp?id=134
Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

wrote in
:
"mroo philpott-smythe" wrote:


I have to admit still loving the taste of the fresh, and some of the
dodol (traditional durian sweet made with dark palm sugar) is pretty
fantastic, but I've had enough durian for a lifetime.

I always bring tubes of that home to Farangland. My kids chomp it down
like it's candy. Oh, it is! °~)

Yeah, that's how I ended up with my current partner. On our first date,
he brought along a huge bag of durian candy he had bought in Indonesia. I
think I was too busy eating them to say a word. %^)

Boy, was he sorry when he realized that without the durian candy, he
couldn't shut me up!


I still remember my parents coming home with a *carload* of durians,
spreading newspapers all over the floor, and bringing out the parang
(big machete) to cut them open and hand out the fruit. Start at 6 pm
and finish at midnight and then lie around all bloated up from eating
it.

Ain't life good? burp

Let me tell you, going on durian-buying expeditions with them was
torture. They filled the whole boot with durians, and then they filled
the back seat, and we kids had to sit there with the sharp thorns poking
into us, trying to fend off the stinky fruit!

And their response? "You children are so spoiled, what's a few durian
thorns?"

sq, "You sit in the back, Mom."

wrote in
:
"mroo philpott-smythe" wrote:


I have to admit still loving the taste of the fresh, and some of the
dodol (traditional durian sweet made with dark palm sugar) is pretty
fantastic, but I've had enough durian for a lifetime.

I always bring tubes of that home to Farangland. My kids chomp it down
like it's candy. Oh, it is! °~)

Yeah, that's how I ended up with my current partner. On our first date,
he brought along a huge bag of durian candy he had bought in Indonesia. I
think I was too busy eating them to say a word. %^)

Boy, was he sorry when he realized that without the durian candy, he
couldn't shut me up!


I still remember my parents coming home with a *carload* of durians,
spreading newspapers all over the floor, and bringing out the parang
(big machete) to cut them open and hand out the fruit. Start at 6 pm
and finish at midnight and then lie around all bloated up from eating
it.

Ain't life good? burp

Let me tell you, going on durian-buying expeditions with them was
torture. They filled the whole boot with durians, and then they filled
the back seat, and we kids had to sit there with the sharp thorns poking
into us, trying to fend off the stinky fruit!

And their response? "You children are so spoiled, what's a few durian
thorns?"

sq, "You sit in the back, Mom."

sooo,
what does durian taste like anyway?

mroo philpott-smythe wrote:
wrote in
:
"mroo philpott-smythe" wrote:


I have to admit still loving the taste of the fresh, and some of the
dodol (traditional durian sweet made with dark palm sugar) is pretty
fantastic, but I've had enough durian for a lifetime.

I always bring tubes of that home to Farangland. My kids chomp it
down like it's candy. Oh, it is! °~)

Yeah, that's how I ended up with my current partner. On our first
date, he brought along a huge bag of durian candy he had bought in
Indonesia. I think I was too busy eating them to say a word. %^)

Boy, was he sorry when he realized that without the durian candy, he
couldn't shut me up!


I still remember my parents coming home with a *carload* of durians,
spreading newspapers all over the floor, and bringing out the parang
(big machete) to cut them open and hand out the fruit. Start at 6 pm
and finish at midnight and then lie around all bloated up from
eating it.

Ain't life good? burp

Let me tell you, going on durian-buying expeditions with them was
torture. They filled the whole boot with durians, and then they filled
the back seat, and we kids had to sit there with the sharp thorns
poking into us, trying to fend off the stinky fruit!

And their response? "You children are so spoiled, what's a few durian
thorns?"

sq, "You sit in the back, Mom."

"Darawen Littlestich" wrote in
:

sooo,
what does durian taste like anyway?

Really good.

Like a flan, buttery, creamy, sweet and rich.

sq

"Darawen Littlestich" wrote in
:

sooo,
what does durian taste like anyway?

Really good.

Like a flan, buttery, creamy, sweet and rich.

sq

Wow! New here... just reading these ones brough a smile and loads of
memories.. thanks...