Kangkung Cah Belacan (Water Spinach with Shrimp Paste)

Kangkung or water spinach is one of the most common vegetables you can consume in Indonesia. Kangkung is very simple to prepare and most Indonesian people just stir-fry them and eat it with rice. Kangkung when paired with belacan, or also known as Kangkung Cah Belacan, is like a classic combination of Indonesian delicacy. Oh, you can think of it as a duo that is quite hard to separate. Like, spaghetti and tomato sauce, or pita bread and hummus, or pepperoni and pizza… you got the idea.

This recipe is so simple to prepare, light and yet so delicious, I can eat this for the entire week and I won’t feel bad doing so. You can avoid adding the belacan/terasi into the dish – especially if you do not like the strong smell of it – but oh boy, you are going to miss out the flavorful kick that it adds to the dish.

However, Kangkung might be a bit tough to find it here in the United States, though it’s not impossible. Some Asian grocery store do carry it in their store, but let me tell you a little tip – when you do see it, grab it fast, cause it is seasonal only.

Ingredient:

• 1 bunch of kangkung (water spinach), about 150 gr
• ½ cup of chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup shrimp, cleaned and peeled
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced
• 6 red Serrano chili, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoon shrimp paste (belacan)
• A pinch of salt and pepper

Direction:

• Grilled the shrimp paste for about 1 minute or until it is fragrant
• Mix garlic, shallot, chili, salt and shrimp paste in a blender
• Preheat the pan with the oil in a medium. Once heated, stir well the shrimp paste mixture for about half a minute
• Add shrimp, give a good stir until it is a little bit reddish
• Add kangkung to the pan and mix a little. Lower the heat and add the chicken stock
• Put the lid on the pan and cook a little bit
• The dish is ready when the color of the kangkung is a bit darkened, wilted out a bit but not too soft.