What is shrimp paste?

by Cookthink

Southeast Asian shrimp paste is made from salted, fermented, sun-dried, ground shrimp. Used in small amounts in East and Southeast Asian sauces, soups, curries and rice dishes, shrimp paste has a strong taste of the sea. Its pungent odor mellows with cooking. It's sold jarred or in a solid cake that is brownish in color. Reference: What does it mean to devein a shrimp? (Cookthink) Reference: What is fish sauce? (Cookthink)