Ka-pi

Name (Thai)

กะปิ

Name (English)

Fermented shrimp paste

Local name

Ka-pi-koong Koei-koong

Fish normally used

Acetes erythraeus (Koei-dtaa-daeng)

Acetes sp. (Koei-malet-khao-saan-som-oh)

Mesopodopsis orientalis (Koei-dtaa-dam)

Product

Fishery

Ingredients

Planktonic and semi-planktonic saltwater or brackish water shrimp. Salt.

Fermentation

4-6 months.

Storage life

12-18 months, depending on the amount of salt used, but not more than 2 years.

Microorganisms

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens

Reference	Control of Listeria monocytogenes on sliced bologna sausage using a novel bacteriocin, amysin, produced by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens isolated from Thai shrimp paste (Kapi)
DOI	10.1016/j.foodcont.2013.01.012
Year	2013

Bacillus flexus

Reference	Identification and lipolytic activity of Bacillus and Staphylococcus strains from shrimp paste (Ka-pi)
DOI	10.7324/JAPS.2019.90404
Year	2019

Bacillus infantis

Reference	Identification and lipolytic activity of Bacillus and Staphylococcus strains from shrimp paste (Ka-pi)
DOI	10.7324/JAPS.2019.90404
Year	2019

Bacillus licheniformis

Reference	The traditional fermented foods of Thailand
ISBN	9679932249
Year	1995

Bacillus paramycoides

Reference	Identification and lipolytic activity of Bacillus and Staphylococcus strains from shrimp paste (Ka-pi)
DOI	10.7324/JAPS.2019.90404
Year	2019

Bacillus sp.

Reference	Identification and lipolytic activity of Bacillus and Staphylococcus strains from shrimp paste (Ka-pi)
DOI	10.7324/JAPS.2019.90404
Year	2019

Reference	The traditional fermented foods of Thailand
ISBN	9679932249
Year	1995

Bacillus sphaericus

Reference	The traditional fermented foods of Thailand
ISBN	9679932249
Year	1995

Bacillus tequilensis

Reference	Identification and lipolytic activity of Bacillus and Staphylococcus strains from shrimp paste (Ka-pi)
DOI	10.7324/JAPS.2019.90404
Year	2019

Corynebacterium sp.

Reference	The traditional fermented foods of Thailand
ISBN	9679932249
Year	1995

Lactobacillus sp.

Reference	The traditional fermented foods of Thailand
ISBN	9679932249
Year	1995

Micrococcus sp.

Reference	The traditional fermented foods of Thailand
ISBN	9679932249
Year	1995

Pediococcus halophilus

Reference	The traditional fermented foods of Thailand
ISBN	9679932249
Year	1995

Staphylococcus aureus

Reference	The traditional fermented foods of Thailand
ISBN	9679932249
Year	1995

Staphylococcus cohnii subsp. urealyticus

Reference	Identification and lipolytic activity of Bacillus and Staphylococcus strains from shrimp paste (Ka-pi)
DOI	10.7324/JAPS.2019.90404
Year	2019

Staphylococcus epidermidis

Reference	The traditional fermented foods of Thailand
ISBN	9679932249
Year	1995

Staphylococcus sp.

Reference	The traditional fermented foods of Thailand
ISBN	9679932249
Year	1995

Virgibacillus halodenitrificans

Reference	Virgibacillus halodenitrificans MSK-10P, a Potential Protease-producing Starter Culture for Fermented Shrimp Paste (kapi) Production
DOI	10.1080/10498850.2019.1652874
Year	2019

Properties

Ka-pi is a dark-coloured strong smelling paste. The colour varies slightly depending on the raw materials used. Ka-pi from Koei-dtaa-daeng has a pinkish purple colour and that from Koei-dtaa-dam has dark purple colour. Ka-pi possesses a characteristic flavour at the time of ripening, which varies for each batch. A low salt mixture results in 20.5% salt as sodium chloride and it should be eaten within 1 year of making into paste. For Ka-pi with a salt content of 30.5% the right time to eat is after 14-16 months of maturing and the characteristic flavour is gradually lost after 18 months. The flavour of Ka-pi is considered as an indicator of its quality. Fish paste (Ka-pi-plaa) is not popular among consumers, so it is mixed with shrimp paste to make a cheaper and lower quality product. In the market it is not always possible to tell whether the Ka-pi is pure shrimp paste or not as the sellers don't like to show that it is low quality, but a low price should indicate low quality.

Method

Step 1: Wash the shrimp and gently mix with about 15-30% of sea salt by tossing in a bamboo basket. Keep the mixture in either a bamboo basket or a wooden vat for 1-2 days, after which the contents are drained of liquid and spread on a bamboo mat to sundry. The liquid drained off can be further used to make fish sauce. The shrimp is partially dried at this stage with about 70% loss in weight. Step 2: Pound the mixture or mince it to a paste until it becomes sticky, similar to kneaded bread dough. Packed it tightly in wide-mouthed earthenware jars or wooden vats. Usually the paste is packed above the rim of the container into a dome shape to allow liquid to flow off, and loosely covered with cloth or betel palm leaf sheaths. Leave the paste to ferment and age at least 4 months if a low proportion of salt is used and 6 months if a high proportion is used until the Ka-pi is matured. At this period the paste gradually changes from soft to hard texture and the characteristic flavour is maintained for about 18 months.

Production

Home industry in the East and South.

Consumption

As Ka-pi has high salt content it is not eaten alone. It is used in various spicy soups or for flavouring dishes. Ka-pi-kooa is a spicy paste made by pounding Ka-pi with various ingredients such as chilli, galingale, lemongrass, shallots, garlic and kaffir lime peel. This mixture is used to make soups. Another main use is to make a condiment called Nam-prik for which Ka-pi is mixed with garlic, bird's eye chilli, and lime juice or tamarind. The ingredients vary according to local practice and taste. Nam-prik is popular for dipping vegetables in to eat with rice. Ka-pi is also cooked with fried rice.