Shrimp paste - the soul of many Vietnamese dishes, brings a rich, unforgettable flavor. Made from fresh, naturally fermented shrimp, shrimp paste is not only a spice but also a part of Vietnamese culinary culture.
 
The characteristic flavor of shrimp paste comes from the complex fermentation process, creating a rich, slightly salty, slightly sour dipping sauce with a characteristic aroma. In particular, shrimp paste can be combined with many different foods to create new dishes.
1. Crab vermicelli soup
To have a delicious crab vermicelli soup, you need to ensure enough spices, especially shrimp paste. Shrimp paste has become a seasoning for delicious bowls of vermicelli, making the crab vermicelli soup fragrant.
Crab vermicelli soup has the sour taste, the fatty taste of the broth, the crab fat, and a small spoonful of shrimp paste will also satisfy gourmets.
2. Bun Oc
One of the most famous vermicelli dishes in Hanoi and also on the list of dishes that must be served with shrimp paste is Bun Oc. A rustic, elegant vermicelli dish like Bun Oc makes you miss it when you are far away. The aroma of vinegar, a few pieces of tomato, and a mild sour sauce blend with the strong aroma and warm saltiness of shrimp paste to create a harmonious combination.
Bun Oc can be varied such as Bun Oc Chuoi Dau, Bun Oc Top Fat, Gio Tai, Thit Bo... but definitely cannot lack shrimp paste.
3. Bun Dau Mam Tom
The premium beans must be Mo beans, each bean is selected to meet the standards, fried until the edges are burnt, the outside is hard and crispy but the inside is soft, hot and fatty. When enjoying this dish, fresh chili and lemon are squeezed into the shrimp paste, stirred well. A piece of vermicelli, a piece of fried tofu, dipped in shrimp paste is attractive and sophisticated enough without being fussy. In addition to vermicelli, tofu and shrimp paste, this dish will be served with boiled pork leg and herbs.

4. Dog meat with shrimp paste
Dog meat is often processed into dishes: boiled meat (variants are steamed or milled), grilled sausage, steamed intestines, grilled meat (variants are roasted, cha chia), plum sap (variants are stir-fried), bamboo shoot stir-fry (variants are hotpot). The main spices to prepare dog meat are: lemongrass, galangal, me, shrimp paste, white perilla leaves. Accompanying foods and herbs: rice paper, dog mint, raw onion, tri-colored apricot, lemongrass, chili... Although dog meat is often accompanied with dog mint, galangal, lemongrass..., the most suitable is still shrimp paste.
5. Boiled pork
The best is still pork belly with a harmonious lean-fat ratio, if not, choose thigh or shoulder meat. The meat is cooked just right, dipped with sweet, rich shrimp paste, it's wonderful.
Not only the meat, dishes made from pig organs are also delicious when dipped in shrimp paste such as stomach, small intestine, liver, sausage... You should buy the small intestine, round, pink in color, this is the delicious type of intestine. When choosing liver, you should remove livers with white spots or unusual red color, you should buy liver pieces with pink red color is the best. When processing, you need to prepare carefully to avoid bad smell with lemon, vinegar, white wine.

6. Pork stir-fried with shrimp paste, lemongrass and chili
Ingredients: Pork, shrimp paste, green onion, lemongrass, chili, garlic, fish sauce, sugar, pepper, MSG. Wash the pork with water then use a knife to cut into small pieces. Wash the green onion and lemongrass then cut into pieces. Peel the chili and garlic, wash with water and use a knife to chop finely.
First, put the pan on the stove, you can add a little cooking oil then add the garlic to fry. Next, put the pork in the pan and fry until golden brown. When the meat is golden brown, add the chopped onions, lemongrass, and chili and stir well. Next, add the shrimp paste and stir well so that the shrimp paste blends into the meat. Add a little sugar, fish sauce, and MSG to the pan and stir well. Keep the heat low so that the dish does not burn. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add pepper and green onions, stir well, and turn off the stove.
7. Red jellyfish salad
Cut the jellyfish into large pieces, soak in a water made from mangrove trees. When eating, take a perilla leaf and Vietnamese balm, place on top a piece of jellyfish, a piece of fried tofu, a piece of young coconut, roll it up, and dip it in shrimp paste. The cool, crunchy jellyfish combined with the soft, fatty fried tofu and fatty coconut flesh brings a new and interesting feeling. A little shrimp paste mixed well with kumquat/lemon and fresh chili along with Vietnamese balm and Vietnamese balm makes the dish even more flavorful.