Eggplant sautéed in belacan sauce, one of my favorite Malaysian dishes. I'll basically eat anything in belacan. The condiment is made from a specific species of tiny shrimp. And i mean tiny - think the crescent of your pinky nail. Maybe smaller. (Can you find them in this pic?) The little babies need to be fermented before they're fried.
It's fermentation by burial. Months later they're dug up.
Sometimes, late at night, i can still hear them scream. (Yes, i am blatantly borrowing from The Silence of the Lambs.)
The term "belacan" is thought to have derived from the Portuguese word "balcão", which means "covered porch". Porch? Sounds more akin to "balcony" to me.
Makes you wonder what an Asian crustacean mush has to do with Western European architecture with an 18th century origin. I imagine the historic aspect involves a beautiful story reminiscent of Pocahontas. Sadly, that is where my interest wanes.
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