Mak Long and Pak Long makes belacan and budu for a living in Besut, Terengganu.
We met them on a fine Thursday morning while they were busy making belacan. Here Mak Long shares with us how the belacan is made.
We were told that the belacan-making in this part of the world is seasonal. It is during this time of the year (after the wet season) that the sea is calmer, and really calm that it is possible to catch the Udang Baring. These are really small prawns and the local fishermen use special net to catch them.
And according to Mak Long, her belacans are different from the ones made in Penang. For one, hers' are man-made, and do not involve machines. Secondly, hers' do not give you the itchy after-effects after...
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