There're many types of fermented prawn paste. I could smell this one once the bottle was open.
OMG, this is potent stuff!
It wasn't belachan, which is quite harmless until it's toasted or fried.
Nor was it Penang hae ko, which is absolutely benign because it has lots of sugar.
What I had was har cheong, a liquid prawn paste made in Hong Kong. It was a very appetizing grey – oh yum! – and the