a coarse, pungent Thai paste made from salted keil

Fish sauce and Kapi: An Umami-Packed Pair

What is Kapi?

In Thailand, shrimp paste goes by the name kapi (or gkapi). It’s a purple-brown condiment made by mixing krill (tiny shrimp-like crustaceans) with salt and leaving them to ferment. The resulting mixture is then dried and ground into a dense and sticky paste that’s the consistency of almond butter or coarse pâté. It’s salty, pungent, funky, and chock-full of umami with a deep, savory richness that can’t quite be replicated.

Shrimp Paste Is for Umami Lovers, Bon Appetite