Ngapi

Ngapi

Raw ngapi
Alternative names	ငါးပိ
Type	Paste
Place of origin	Myanmar
Associated cuisine	Burmese cuisine
Main ingredients	Fish or shrimp
Similar dishes	Ngachin, Shrimp paste, pla ra, padaek, prahok, bagoong, shiokara

Ngapi (Burmese: ငါးပိ [ŋəpḭ], lit. 'pressed fish') is a pungent paste made of either fish or shrimp used in Burmese cuisine. Ngapi is typically made by fermenting fish or shrimp that is salted and ground then sundried. Like cheese, it can be distinguished based on main ingredient and regional origin. Ngapi can be distinguished by the type of fish used to make it. Ngapi can come from whole fish (such as ngapi kaung), from small fish (hmyin ngapi) or from prawns (seinza ngapi). Ngapi is a main ingredient of Lower Burmese cooking and is used as a condiment or additive in most dishes. Raw ngapi, with some exceptions, is not intended for direct consumption.

Similar fermented seafood pastes are common across the Southeast Asian cuisines, notably Malay belacan and Thai kapi and pla ra, Lao padaek, and Khmer prahok.