Asians Cheese i.e BELACAN

Belacan or the asian cheese are shrimp paste. Smells likes hell but taste like heaven. What is it and how is it made?? Belacan derives from 'bubok' or tiny tiny shrimps...

These are usually bought in kilos...washed from all impurities i.e. sand, dirt etc, mixed with salt and then left to dry in the sun. Once dried, it is pounded with all your might and then dried in the sun again and pounded again and this process can go on and on as you like. The end result looks pretty much like this:

It comes in different shapes and sizes, round, square, bricks...and is used mostly in Malay cooking especially the Sambal Belacan..spicy concoction of belacan and chilli

Why i write about this? because my house has suddenly become a mini warehouse for Buboks by Mommy Dearest but not for belacan but cencaluk....but that is another story. p/s: Mommy....i cant stand the smell!!!