Shrimp Paste (Kapi): Quality, Brands, and Roasting

Not yet written for this entry.

Kapi — fermented shrimp paste — is the foundational umami ingredient of the Thai kitchen. Made from small shrimp (krill) fermented with salt for 3–6 months and sun-dried, kapi ranges from liquid and pale (fresh, mild) to solid and dark brown-black (aged, intensely flavoured). Every Thai curry paste includes it; nam prik kapi is built around it; many soups and sauces use it as a background seasoning. Thompson considers kapi's quality one of the most important variables in Thai cooking — a high-quality shrimp paste contributes a complexity and depth that elevates an entire preparation; a poor-quality or improperly stored paste adds only an acrid, one-dimensional fishiness.

Not yet written for this entry.

Not yet written for this entry.