Sambal Kangkong

Sambal Kangkong (Water Spinach in Chili-Shrimp Paste)

A beloved Malaysian stir-fry of tender kangkong (water spinach) tossed in a fiery, fragrant sambal built on garlic, chilies, fresh red peppers and toasted shrimp paste. Serve hot with steamed white rice as part of a shared meal.

Prep

10 min

Cook

8 min

Total

18 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •450 g (1 lb) kangkong (water spinach), also called water morning glory; stems separated from leaves
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) neutral cooking oil, e.g. canola or sunflower
• •20 g (¾ oz (about 4 cloves)) garlic, roughly chopped
• •15 g (½ oz (about 6)) dried red chilies, soaked in hot water 10 minutes, then drained; stems removed; or null
• •10 g (2 tsp) belacan (shrimp paste), dry-toasted in a dry pan until fragrant; or null
• •1 whole large red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
• •2 whole fresh red chilies, sliced; remove seeds for milder heat
• •1 tsp salt, or to taste
• •1 tsp sugar, palm sugar preferred
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) water, as needed

Steps

1. 1 Prepare the kangkong: trim off any tough ends, discard wilted leaves, then cut the tender stems into roughly 5 cm (2 in) lengths. Keep the stems and leaves separate.
2. 2 Pound or blend the soaked dried chilies, garlic and toasted belacan into a coarse paste using a mortar and pestle or small food processor. It should smell strong and aromatic.
3. 3 Heat the oil in a wok over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chili–garlic–belacan paste and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, until the oil turns reddish and the paste is fragrant and no longer raw.
4. 4 Add the red bell pepper and fresh red chilies. Stir-fry for 30–45 seconds so they soften slightly but keep some crunch.
5. 5 Toss in the kangkong stems first and stir-fry for about 1 minute. Add the leaves, salt, sugar and the splash of water, then toss vigorously for another 30–60 seconds — just until the leaves are wilted but still bright green and the stems are tender-crisp. Overcooking will leave you with limp, watery greens.
6. 6 Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer immediately to a plate and serve hot with steamed rice.