TABLE OF CONTENTS
Best Southeast Asian Paste Types
Bumbu Bali refers to a complex and flavorful spice mixture from Bali, that typically includes a wide range of ingredients, such as garlic, shallots, galangal, ginger, turmeric, lemongrass, chili peppers, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and sometimes shrimp paste, among others.
These components are finely ground into a paste and used as a marinade or sauce base for various traditional Balinese dishes. Bumbu Bali is celebrated for its depth of flavor, combining sweet, spicy, savory, and umami notes. It's used in a variety of dishes, from meats and seafood to vegetables.
Palm sugar paste is a sweetener derived from the sap of various species of palm trees.
Among many that exist, the most used are palmyra, date, nipa, coconut, and sugar palms. Palm sugar paste is sometimes qualified by the type of palm used to make it, such as, for example, "coconut palm sugar paste". The process of making palm sugar paste consists of first tapping the tree to collect sap, then boiling and evaporating this sap to create a concentrated paste or syrup.
Terasi is a traditional Indonesian shrimp paste made from fermented ground shrimp mixed with salt and then sun-dried into solid, dark brown or reddish-brown blocks. It has a strong, pungent aroma and a deep umami flavor, which intensifies when roasted or fried before use.
Terasi is an essential ingredient in Indonesian cuisine, commonly found in dishes like sambal terasi, sayur asem, nasi goreng, and peanut sauces for gado-gado or pecel. Different regions in Indonesia produce their own variations, such as Terasi Bangka, known for its strong fermentation, and Terasi Lombok, which has a spicier profile.
Bumbu rajang, also known as basa gede, is a traditional Balinese spice paste that serves as the foundation for many Balinese dishes. It is an aromatic, complex blend of fresh spices and herbs, used in everything from grilled meats and stews to curries and soups.
This spice paste is made by grinding or blending a mix of shallots, garlic, turmeric, galangal, ginger, chilies, lemongrass, coriander, shrimp paste (terasi), and other spices, then sautéing it in coconut oil to release its flavors. Bumbu rajang gives Balinese food its rich, deep, and fragrant taste, making it essential for dishes like ayam betutu (Balinese slow-cooked chicken), babi guling (roast pork), and seafood curries.
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