Water Spinach with Shrimp Paste and Chilies (Kangkung Belacan)
A Singapore- and Malaysian-style water spinach dish, stir-fried with shrimp paste (belacan), dried chilies, and fresh shrimp for a richly aromatic flavor.
Ingredients
dried shrimp (rinsed)
2 tablespoons
water spinach
1 pound
Asian shallots or yellow onion (coarsely chopped (1/3 cup))
5 Asian shallots or 1/2 small
garlic
4 cloves
fresh red chilies (stemmed, seeded if desired, and coarsely chopped)
3 long
dried shrimp paste
2 teaspoons
vegetable oil (or more if needed)
3 tablespoons
sugar
2 teaspoons
Salt (optional)
Instructions
1
Soak the Shrimp
In a small bowl, soak the dried shrimp in enough boiling water to cover until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the soaking liquid.
2
Prepare the Water Spinach
Rinse the water spinach under cold water and drain. Cut off and discard the bottom 4 inches of the stem, which is usually fibrous. Cut off and discard any tough, woody stems (the best way is to bite one — if it is hard, discard it). Cut the remainder into 3 pieces, keeping the stems and leaves separate.
3
Make the Paste
Place the dried shrimp, Asian shallots, garlic, chilies, and dried shrimp paste into the work bowl of a 3- to 4-cup-capacity food processor and pulse into a thick, coarse-textured paste resembling cooked oatmeal, about 1 minute. Scrape the unprocessed chunks toward the blade as needed during processing. Do not over-process; chili pieces the size of torn paper are fine.
4
Cook the Paste
In a large wok or skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until the oil thins and just begins to shimmer. Drop a little of the shrimp-chili paste into the oil; if it starts to sizzle cheerfully, the oil is ready. Add the remaining paste. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan continuously so the paste heats evenly and does not burn. (When frying chilies, volatile oils will fill the air, so it is best to turn the exhaust fan on high and open the windows.) If the paste absorbs all the oil and begins to stick, add more oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the paste moves freely in the pan once again. If the paste begins to burn, lift the pan off the heat for a few seconds before continuing. Adjust the heat as needed. The paste is done when its original harsh aroma becomes a pleasant sweetness with no trace of raw shallot or garlic. Visual cue: the cooked paste should be several shades darker than when raw and should separate from the oil.
5
Stir-Fry the Vegetables
Add the water spinach stems to the pan and stir to combine with the paste for about 30 seconds. Add the water spinach leaves, sugar, and the reserved shrimp soaking liquid, and increase the heat to medium-high. Quickly toss the vegetables in the pan, sliding a spatula along the bottom and tossing to coat them with the seasoning, until the leaves have just wilted but are still bright green and the stems remain crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and add salt as needed. Transfer to a large platter and serve immediately with freshly steamed rice.
