
Balao-balao

Balao-balao, also known as burong hipon ("pickled shrimp"), is a Filipino dish consisting of cooked rice and whole raw shrimp fermented with salt and "angkak" (red yeast rice). It can be eaten as is with rice or used as a dipping sauce for grilled or fried dishes. Depending on the salt content, it is fermented for several days to weeks. The lactobacilli involved in the fermentation process of the rice produces lactic acid which preserves and softens the shrimp.