What is Bagoong Alamang (Filipino Shrimp Paste)?

Bagoong is one of the staples and pillars of Filipino cuisine. Its umami, funky, and salty taste gives dishes a depth of complexity that other ingredients simply cannot replicate.

What is bagoong?

Generally, bagoong (bah-go-ONG) in Tagalog refers to any salty condiment made primarily out of fermented seafood. This stuff is salty, seriously, so don’t expect much if you take a whole spoonful of bagoong other than a very intense, pungent taste that coats your mouth.

It’s prepared by mixing together salt and seafood (typically fish, shrimp, or even clams) where it’s then left to sit in tapayans (large clay jars) to ferment for at least 30-90 days.

In the process, liquid gold also then rises to the surface, creating a byproduct known as patis, or Filipino fish sauce.

Bagoong in taste can be described as relatively pungent, umami, and complex in its combination of brininess and saltiness. Like fish sauce, letting the paste sit for long periods of time (such as in your fridge or pantry) evolves its flavor that intensifies the longer it’s kept.

Where to find bagoong alamang

Bagoong can be found in almost all Filipino groceries and convenience stores. Be sure to read the label carefully because there are various kinds of bagoong that aren’t made out of shrimp!

You can also find it in most Asian supermarkets, mainly in the Southeast Asian section. You may also find this in the international aisles of other standard groceries if yours happens to have one.

Otherwise, if you don’t have any luck, you can simply purchase it online in a pinch!

Storage

Due to the paste being fermented and heavily salted, storage of this can actually last a while without refrigeration. Personally, I make an effort to refrigerate mine anyways (either in its original jar or an airtight container) to extend its shelf life even further (up to 6 months or even to a year!).

That being said, proper storage is crucial to ensure it doesn’t go bad right away. You can simply keep the bagoong in its original jar, just be sure to seal it tightly to minimize air seepage.

Try to avoid cross-contaminations by using a clean spoon or utensil whenever you scoop out the paste as well!

As my dad always said, as long as the paste doesn’t look off or smell off, you should be okay.

Regional Variants

With the Philippines comprising of a whopping 7,641 islands, regional variants of dishes, and even bagoong, are rich and diverse.

Take Northern Ilocano cuisine, for instance, where they utilize anchovies to make their fermented paste called bugguong munamon.

The Visayas region also makes bagoong by fermenting small clams and oysters, known as bagoong sisi.

Arguably the most notable and famous version is bagoong alamang (which we cover a little more in depth in the following section) made from krill and small shrimp, and its fried counterpart: bagoong guisado. This is my personal favorite and what I have stocked almost all the time in my pantry/refrigerator. The bits of shrimp gives the paste a chunkier texture, but melts away into a sauce or stew when heated.

Types of Shrimp Bagoong

While I’m sure there are other sub-variants underneath the shrimp bagoong term, today I’m only focusing on the two that you’ll most commonly see in stores (otherwise, we’ll be here forever).

Bagoong Alamang

This version is made up of fermented shrimp and krill which is typically dyed with either artificial food coloring or angkak (red yeast rice) to give it its signature bright pink tint.

It has many names, from bagoong aramang, dayok, balao, uyap, baguc, and/or bagong.

Taste-wise, this is incredibly salty (borderline unpalatable on its own), so a little goes a long way if you plan to use this in your dishes.

My mom makes an effort to soak and drain this kind of bagoong really well in warm water as a way to mellow out its sharp saltiness. She then goes on to use that bagoong for her signature binagoongan.

Bagoong Guisado

The name literally means “sautéd bagoong”, which is the product of lightly frying the alamang in oil alongside ingredients like onions, garlic, sugar, and vinegar.

The end result transforms the alamang into a caramelized, somewhat sweeter, and deeper version than it’s former.

Commercially available in regular, sweet, and spicy flavors, this bagoong is less salty than alamang (no need for soaking!), which is much more palatable to be used directly as a dipping sauce or condiment for other dishes.

Alternatives

Bagoong’s taste is very specific, making it highly difficult to replicate with other ingredients or substitutes.

If you really needed to, ways to add that umami and salty taste similar to shrimp paste could be fish sauce or miso paste. Note that these will not taste exactly the same as bagoong.

Uses of Bagoong

In it’s very core, bagoong is simply used as a condiment for dipping meats, vegetables, and fruits in.

If you ever visit the Philippines, you may encounter someone on the street with slices of green, unripe mangoes pierced onto skewers. Upon purchasing, they then douse the mangoes with spoonfuls of bagoong, making a delectable afternoon snack.

The unripe mangoes are tart and firm, making them perfect vehicles to balance and showcase the savory and salty flavors of the shrimp paste. Saba bananas are also frequently used as another fruit to achieve a similar balance of sweet and savory flavors.

Popular uses of shrimp paste in traditional Filipino dishes include pinakbet (vegetable stew), binagoongan (pork stew), or kare kare (oxtail peanut stew).

Apart from Filipino dishes, some of my favorite ways to apply shrimp paste in general to my home cooking include:

• Sautéing with aromatics: Lightly frying the paste with aromatics like ginger, garlic, and onion, helps to not only intensify the shrimp’s flavors, but can add a layer of depth to dishes such as stir fries or stews.
• Pairing with other ingredients: Bagoong works harmoniously with rich, fatty ingredients that helps to mellow out its sharp, bold flavors. Think coconut milk (such as in Thai curries) or peanut sauces (such as in Kare Kare). Bagoong can also be balanced with acidity to cut through its saltiness and to brighten flavors up a bit (acids like lime, calamansi, or lemon, for instance).
• Enhancing sauces: Since bagoong is a concentrated paste of pure umami and salt, a little addition of this can elevate and provide complexity to sauces such as marinades, barbecues, pasta/noodle sauces, and salad dressings.

Final Thoughts

As with other delicious fermented foods and cheeses, Filipino shrimp paste has its own distinct and particular aroma that is acquired.

The savory, umami notes of this ingredient lends dishes an undertone of saltiness and complexity that can transform dishes with greater depth of flavors.

Now, this is not to say that shrimp paste is a revolutionary superfood, as most of Asia’s history have been utilizing fermented pastes for centuries. This isn’t new at all.

But as Filipino food continues to break through the food scene in Western culture, it would be fascinating to see just how creative bagoong can be integrated into nuanced dishes. It’s about time more people take note of this funky condiment.