Kangkung Belacan (Stir-Fried Water Spinach with Shrimp Paste)
Local name: Kangkung Goreng Belacan
In short: Water spinach stir-fried over high heat with garlic, chilies and toasted shrimp paste, a savory, smoky, lightly spicy side for any rice meal. It takes about 21 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 6 min
- Total
- 21 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 110 kcal
Kangkung belacan is one of the most common vegetable dishes on a Malaysian rice table. Water spinach has hollow, juicy stems that stay crunchy in a very hot wok, and a pounded paste of garlic, chilies and toasted shrimp paste coats them in a savory, smoky flavor. The whole dish takes about ten minutes. The two keys are dry greens and a roaring hot wok, so the leaves fry instead of steaming.
Instructions
- Wash the water spinach well and drain it thoroughly, shaking off as much water as you can. Wet greens steam instead of frying.
- Pound the garlic, shallots, chilies and belacan in a mortar into a rough paste, or chop them finely and mix.
- Heat a wok over the highest heat until it just smokes. Add the oil, the paste and the dried shrimp and fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add the stems and toss for 1 minute. Add the water, sugar and salt, then the leaves.
- Toss for about 1 minute more, until the leaves wilt but the stems stay crisp and the greens are still bright green. Serve immediately.
Tips
- Dry the greens thoroughly and cook in a very hot wok. If your pan is small, cook the greens in two batches so they stir-fry rather than stew.
- Water spinach is also sold as ong choy. If you cannot find kangkung, choy sum or the tender stems of regular spinach can be cooked the same way, but they wilt faster, so shorten the cooking time.
Questions and answers
What is kangkung?
Kangkung is water spinach, a leafy green with hollow stems, also sold as ong choy, morning glory or swamp cabbage. It stays crisp in stir-fries and is very popular in Southeast Asia.
Can I make kangkung belacan without shrimp paste?
You can use 1 tablespoon of fish sauce with a little extra garlic and chili. The flavor will be lighter, but still savory and good with rice.
Why are my stir-fried greens soggy?
The greens were probably wet or the wok was not hot enough. Drain them well, heat the wok until it smokes, and cook in small batches so the temperature stays high.
How long does it take to make Kangkung Belacan (Stir-Fried Water Spinach with Shrimp Paste)?
About 21 min in total: 15 min of preparation and 6 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Kangkung Belacan (Stir-Fried Water Spinach with Shrimp Paste)?
About 110 kcal per serving, with 4 g of protein, 6 g of carbohydrates and 8 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 110 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 6 g |
| Fat | 8 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Sodium | 450 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
