What is Trasi/Terasi?

Shrimp paste is a fermented condiment commonly used in Southeast Asian, Northeastern South Asian, and Southern Chinese cuisine. It is primarily made from finely crushed shrimp or krill mixed with salt, and then fermented for several weeks (Source: Wikipedia). There are two different kinds of shrimp paste in Indonesia. One is called ‘Trasi/Terasi’ and the other one is called ‘Petis’. Let’ talk about ‘Trasi/Terasi’ first. It is usually purchased in dark blocks, but is also sometimes sold ground as granulated coarse powder. Trasi is an essential ingredient in a lot of Indonesian cuisine such as ‘sambal’ (Indonesian chili sauce), ‘rujak’ (Indonesian fruit salad), ‘balado’, (Indonesian stir-fry chili sauce dish), and many others. For some people, ‘Trasi/Terasi’ has very super strong scent when it’s fried (for me it’s not 😁). That’s why I suggested to buy the Roasted Trasi/Shrimp Paste so you can use it directly in the recipe you want to cook. Again, this ingredient can be found at local Asian market and it’s very cheap. 😊