*UPDATE* This is short on how my mother makes sambal kangkong! Do take a look!
*UPDATE OVER*
The kangkong or ong choy (also known as water spinach) is probably my most favorite vegetable. When I was younger, I remembered grandma usually cooking two pots of this every time, one pot for me and the other for the rest of my family members. This dish is best served fresh with just warm white rice.
A note from grandma when cooking kangkong, always remember to separate the stem from the leaves. As it takes longer to cook the stem, you don’t want to dump them together. It’ll usually make either the leaves too mushy or the stem still tough.
I used packet sambal which you can easily get in your local Asian supermarket but I will make a separate post on how to make chili paste if anyone is interested!
The secret ingredient is belacan [pronounced buh-la-chaan]! Use only a little as the flavor can be strong. Also, it’s pretty high in sodium, so for the most part – there is no need to add salt to taste. Cooking Southeast Asian food is usually pretty much intuitive, just dooooo it 😀
I hope you enjoy this simple recipe!
Sambal Kangkong
Ingredients
- 1 bunch kangkong (ong choy)
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil (may vary if sambal has oil)
- 3 tablespoon sambal
- 1 bird's eye chili pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon belacan (fermented shrimp paste) (to taste if desired)
- 2 teaspoon water
Instructions
- Pluck stem from leaves.
- Break stem into smaller pieces about 2 inches in length. (optional step- hold stems in your fist and smash them top and bottom so it'll cook faster.)
- Add a teaspoon of water into belacan to soften for easier absorption into the kangkong.
- Heat up oil in medium heat
- Add in sambal and bird's eye chilli pepper. Wait till the sambal is cooked (you can usually tell when the smell gets strong and oil spurts everywhere).
- Add belacan solution.
- Add in stems. Mix and leave it alone. Flip every 15 seconds to check. When stems look soft, add in leaves. Flip every 20 seconds until all is cooked.
