Cock Brand Chili Paste with Holy Basil

Cock™ Chili Paste with Holy Basil: A Review

I have purchased quite a number of Cock Brand™ products over the years and have never been disappointed. Their Chili Paste with Holy Basil, seen pictured above, was actually purchased on a whim, put in a store cupboard, and then forgotten about for a while. When I finally opened it, however, I was very glad to have made the purchase as it turned out to be a terrific sauce for quickly putting together Thai-style Stir-fried dishes.

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Yeo Minced Prawns in Spices
Yeo Minced Prawns in Spices

Yeo Minced Prawns in Spices Review

I fell in love with this umami-rich shrimp paste from Singapore after first purchasing at a little Asian grocery store in Fredericton, New Brunswick almost 40 years ago. It is produced by Yeo Hiap Seung Ltd., and is made with Shrimp, Chili, Onions and Peanuts as the main ingredients. The shrimp are clearly fermented slightly during the manufacturing process, and the result is quite similar to a Filipino Bagoóng Alamáng, or even a Sambal Ikan Bilis. It is sold mainly as a cookery ingredient, especially for soups and noodle dishes, but I find that it shines best as a cold condiment.

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Singlong Sambal Ikan Bilis
Singlong Sambal Ikan Bilis

Singlong Sambal Ikan Bilis Review

In my post featuring the Huy Fong Brand Sambal Oelek, I mentioned that a Sambal is an Indonesian chili paste and that the Sambal Oelek is the simplest, and the one on which all other are based. A Sambal Ikan Bilis builds on the basic recipe of red chili peppers and salt by enhancing it with the addition of dried Anchovies, or ‘Ikan Bilis’, as they are known in Indonesia.

This commercial product, made by the Singlong Company in Singapore is certainly a Sambal Ikan Bilis in that it is a chili paste with anchovy added, but it also includes several other flavorings as well. It may not be the absolute best representative of its class, but it is still a pretty decent product.

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Jack Hua Sour Shrimp Paste
Jack Hua Sour Shrimp Paste

Jack Hua Sour Shrimp Paste Review

If you are an afficionado of Thai food, you will almost certainly have enjoyed Tom Yum Soup a time or two as it is almost ubiquitous Thai restaurant menus. Making the necessary spice blend at home can be a little difficult for western cooks, though, given the range of ingredients, but this product from the Jack Hua Company in Thailand makes things very simple and convenient. The label on the jar does specifically identify this as being intended for Tom Yum soup (and even provides a simple little recipe), but the paste is extremely versatile and can be adapted to many other dishes as well.

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