Shrimp paste

Shrimp paste is a typical ingredient in Latin American cuisine, especially popular in Mexican and Central American recipes. It is a paste made from ground or crushed dried shrimp, which provides an intense, salty, and briny flavor, ideal for enriching soups, broths, sauces, rice, and stews.

Origin: Shrimp paste is traditional in the coastal regions of the Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico, where shrimp is abundant. Its use became popular as a practical way to preserve shrimp and enhance the umami flavor in various preparations.

Properties: It is rich in minerals such as calcium and phosphorus, in addition to containing proteins from the shrimp. It is used mostly as a seasoning due to its concentrated flavor, so it is used in small quantities to give depth and aroma to dishes.

Synonyms in Spanish from Latin America: In some regions, it is also known as dried shrimp paste or simply ground shrimp. In certain places, it might be confused with other ground seafood products, but shrimp paste specifically is dried shrimp crushed into a paste form.