Dried Shrimp Sambal Belacan (Dried Shrimp and Chili Paste)

Ingredients:

5 dried chili, soaked, drained and roughly chopped
5 shallot, roughly chopped
2 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 cup dried small shrimp, soaked and drained
1 tbsp soy bean paste
1 tbsp tamarind paste (assam jawa paste)
1/2 cup water
3 tsp toasted belacan powder (toasted dried shrimp paste)
1 tbsp light soy sauce or to taste
4 tsp sugar or to taste
2 tbsp oil

Method:

Dissolve tamarind paste in water, discard tamarind seed from the tamarind water (if any).

Dissolve belacan powder into tamarind water.

Blend chili, shallot, garlic, soy bean paste and half of dried small shrimp with tamarind water to form paste.

Heat oil in a wok or pan over medium heat, add the remaining dried small shrimp and stir-fry till fragrant.

Add blended paste and keep stirring all the time.

Seasoning with soy sauce and sugar (add more water into the tamarind residue and moist the chili paste if paste look like going to dry up before obtaining the desired taste with soy sauce and sugar).

Continue stirring till paste turns dark and almost dry (as shown in photo).

Remove from heat and let cool completely before storing in container.

Serve with raw vegetables like cucumber, noodles, rice or as seasoning for home cooking.