Though bun dau mam tom has appeared in Taste Atlas’ list of the 45 “worst” Vietnamese dishes as voted by international ...

Grill shrimp paste skewers on oiled grates, uncovered and turning occasionally, until deeply browned, about 10 minutes. (Alternatively, heat a well-oiled cast-iron skillet over medium.

Shrimp Pad Thai: There's three times the shrimp in this perfect pad Thai: The recipe calls for head-on fresh shrimp, fried dried shrimp, and shrimp paste.

Fermented shrimp is also a key but almost hidden ingredient in Thai curry paste, where it’s used in small quantities along with ingredients like chile, lemongrass, galangal, and chopped cilantro.

That includes the spice level, the pungency of the shrimp paste, the punchiness of garlic. When the curry paste is fully blended, I release the lid of the food processor.

Shrimp is a good source of protein, on par with, say, ... Shrimp heads and shells are particularly nutritious and are crushed into shrimp paste in some countries, but most American diners avoid them.