Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons belacan (shrimp paste)*
• 3 (5 1/2-inch) fresh Holland red chiles*, sliced, including seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 oz small dried shrimp* (1 tablespoon)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large shallot, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise (1/4 cup)
• 1 (1 1/2-lb) piece green papaya* or 1 1/2 lb seedless cucumber (1 to 2; usually plastic-wrapped)
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• Special equipment: a mini food processor; an adjustable-blade slicer fitted with julienne attachment

Instructions

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Wrap belacan tightly in foil and bake 10 minutes. Open foil carefully and cool belacan to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Crumble belacan into mini food processor and finely purée with chiles and sugar.
3. Make salad: Soak shrimp in 1 cup hot water in a bowl until soft, about 10 minutes. While shrimp soak, stir together salt and 1 cup cold water until salt is dissolved, then add shallot and soak 5 minutes. Drain shallot in a sieve and pat dry. Drain shrimp in a colander and pat dry. Pulse shrimp in cleaned mini processor until finely ground. Peel, halve, and seed papaya (or cucumber). Cut into large pieces, then cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks with slicer. Stir together lime juice, sugar, and 1 tablespoon sambal belacan in a large serving bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add shrimp, shallot, and papaya, tossing to combine well.
4. Soak shrimp in 1 cup hot water in a bowl until soft, about 10 minutes.
5. While shrimp soak, stir together salt and 1 cup cold water until salt is dissolved, then add shallot and soak 5 minutes. Drain shallot in a sieve and pat dry.
6. Drain shrimp in a colander and pat dry. Pulse shrimp in cleaned mini processor until finely ground.
7. Peel, halve, and seed papaya (or cucumber). Cut into large pieces, then cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks with slicer.
8. Stir together lime juice, sugar, and 1 tablespoon sambal belacan in a large serving bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add shrimp, shallot, and papaya, tossing to combine well.
9. *Available at Southeast Asian markets and templeofthai.com.