Substitution for Belacan for Kangkung Belacan?

[joolseyc09]

I am having a hard time finding belacan in Boston Chinatown. I've read that Super 88 carries them on this post (http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/156334), but it's from 2006 and I haven't had much luck at the Allston or Malden branches. However, I've seen Vietnamese shrimp pastes (the grey jarred type) quite frequently. Is this stuff an appropriate substitution to use in Kangkung Belacan?

[bear]

Christina's Spices in Inman Sq. carries the 6A brand.

[qianning]

we use a shrimp paste from thailand with most of the label in thai i can't tell you the brand, but it is packed by "P. Prateepthong" comes in a 227 gram container with a red plastic lid, and works in malayasian and thai and burmese dishes, and is available at kam man ( in the south east asian section, i think) in quincy , and battambang in lowell to name two retailers where i've bought it, the listed ingredients are shrimp paste and salt period the end.

[fredid]

This thread is going to inspire me to organize a "Great Round-the-world ChowHound Homemade ChowDown!" (I think the SF Hounds do this as a picnic every year - but they bring take-out!)

We'll get galangatron to make Cambodian, you guys for Filipino, I have the names of some Nigerian cooks in Lowell, and the phone number for the woman who ran Oran (Morrocan) - Imagine the feast!

Keep your eye out - I'll post on the Boston board either in deepest winter (what a "pick-us-up* that would be!), or pleasant (picnicking!) spring!

[joolseyc09]

kobuta - i've seen jars of those when i lived in malaysia, premixed belacan with pounded chili peppers. what i'm looking for here is sticks of brown shrimp paste.

another_adam - i'll definitely check out filipino bagoong!

deglazer - i can't believe ming's carries some! i lived about three blocks from there this summer and frequented there! do you know what brand they happen to carry?

[deglazer]

Well the English on the package says Belacan Shrimp and 6A brand, from Malaysia. Ingredients: Shrimp(s), salt and water. It's a bit larger than a standard bar of soap, in a foil pouch. Sounds like what you're looking for (I love that aisle!)

[joolseyc09]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! You have no idea how excited I am to be able to whip up homemade kangkung belacan!

[deglazer]

I've purchased it at Ming's. It was in the aisle of non-Chinese products near the back of the store, just before the last room on the right with rice noodles, kitchen ware etc.

[another_adam]

The Allston Super 88 (HK market) has filipino bagoong- the spicy one is probably a good substitute for belacan in this context. It's dark brown, and spicy. They have Barrio Fiesta brand, which is what we typically go for, but I think I saw another brand in the newly expanded filipino aisle, too!
Hmmmm, reminds me that we haven't made kangkong with bagoong in a while! :)

[kobuta]

Based on some info I found online, belacan has chili peppers in it. From what I understand, Vietnamese shrimp paste is similar to Chinese/Hong Kong shrimp paste, which is a bit lighter than other varieties.