Balachaung

January 15, 2011

Balachaung - kvalifood.com

A Burmese crispy fried condiment made from dried shrimp, garlic, onions, and chilli. Each component is fried separately until completely dry and crunchy, then combined. It keeps for months at room temperature and is a staple of Burmese home cooking – mixed into rice, scattered over noodles and vegetables, or eaten as a side with any meal.

Makes ca. 400 g

Ingredients

250 g dried shrimp
200 g shallots, thinly sliced
50 g garlic (ca. 10 cloves), thinly sliced
1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
6-8 dried red chillies, stemmed
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
400 ml peanut oil, for frying
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tsp shrimp paste (ngapi)
2 tbsp lime juice (or white vinegar)
1-2 tsp salt

Directions

Rinse the dried shrimp, drain, and pat dry thoroughly. Pulse in a food processor until reduced to fluffy, feathery strands. Do not turn them into a paste.
Mix the shrimp paste with 2 tbsp warm water and the lime juice. Stir until dissolved and set aside.
Heat the peanut oil in a wok or deep saucepan over medium heat. Fry the sliced shallots, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp – about 10-15 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
In the same oil, fry the garlic slices until light golden – about 1-2 minutes. Remove immediately. Drain on paper towels.
Fry the ginger strips until crisp, about 1-2 minutes. Remove and drain.
Fry the whole dried chillies until darkened, about 30 seconds. Remove, cool, and crumble roughly.
Add the shrimp floss to the oil along with the turmeric and chilli powder. Fry over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes until deep golden and crisp.
Pour in the dissolved shrimp paste mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir until the liquid evaporates and the mixture darkens, about 2-3 minutes. Add the sesame oil and stir through.
Transfer the shrimp mixture to a large bowl and let everything cool completely. Add the fried shallots, garlic, ginger, crumbled dried chillies, and salt. Toss gently. Taste and adjust salt.
Transfer to a clean, dry glass jar. Stores at room temperature for 2-3 weeks, or refrigerated for up to 2 months. Always use a clean, dry spoon.

Notes

The quality of the final dish depends on getting the dried shrimp to a flossy texture. Over-processing into a paste makes it heavy and clumpy.
Frying each component separately is essential for even crispness. Combining wet ingredients before frying creates steam and prevents crisping.
The flavoured frying oil is itself a useful condiment. Strain and use it for fried rice or noodles.
Peanut oil is traditional. Any neutral oil with a high smoke point works as a substitute.
Adjust chilli powder and dried chillies to taste. The fermented shrimp flavour should be the star, not the heat.
Open windows when frying dried shrimp – the smell is strong.