Tumis Kangkung Terasi
(too-miss kahng-koong tuh-rah-see)
Makan Tengah: The Weeknight Communal Table
The smell of fermented shrimp paste hitting screaming-hot oil is the ultimate dinner bell for anyone with Indonesian roots. It’s a pungent, unapologetically funky aroma that means something intensely savory is about to hit the table. The secret to killer water spinach is simple, but absolute: get the wok blistering, dry your greens completely, and never, ever cover the pan. Treat this like a two-minute sprint and you'll get the vibrant, crunchy, umami-bomb your grandmother used to make.
Before you start
Dry the greens completely.
Wash the water spinach in cold water, then dry it thoroughly using a salad spinner or towels. If the greens are wet, they will drop the temperature of your wok and steam instead of fry.
Separate the stems and leaves.
Keep the plucked leaves and 2-inch stem pieces in separate piles before you begin. They require different cooking times, and this dish moves far too quickly to adjust on the fly.
Toast the raw shrimp paste.
If your paste comes in a raw block, wrap 1 teaspoon in a small square of aluminum foil, press it flat, and toast in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side until it smells nutty and smoky. Skip this if using pre-toasted jarred paste.
Mix the sauce.
In a small bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, sweet soy sauce, sugar, and salt so it's ready to pour the second you need it.
Ingredients
- water spinach1 lb
- small shallots5 med
- garlic3 med clove
- Thai bird's eye chilies4 med
- Roma tomato1 med
- Indonesian shrimp paste1 tsp
- oyster sauce1 tbsp
- sweet soy sauce1/2 tbsp
- sugar1/2 tsp
- salt1/4 tsp
- neutral cooking oil3 tbsp
Method
- 01
Sear the aromatics.
Heat a wok or large, wide skillet over medium-high heat and add the neutral oil. Once shimmering, toss in the shallots, garlic, chilies, and toasted shrimp paste.
- 02
Bloom the shrimp paste.
Stir-fry constantly for about 60 to 90 seconds. Use your spatula to smash the shrimp paste into the oil so it dissolves completely. When the garlic turns golden and highly fragrant, toss in the chopped tomato and stir for another 30 seconds.
- 03
Flash-fry the stems.
Turn your stove to the absolute highest heat setting possible. Pour in your pre-mixed sauce, immediately drop in the water spinach stems, and toss rapidly for 30 seconds to allow the thick stems to blister.
- 04
Wilt the leaves.
Drop in the leaves. Keep the heat on maximum, tossing aggressively and continuously for exactly 1 minute until the leaves turn a stunning, glossy, vibrant green. Do not cover the wok.
- 05
Serve instantly.
As soon as the leaves have wilted but the stems still have a slight crunch, turn off the heat and transfer the dish instantly to a serving platter to stop the cooking process.
Notes
Substitute greens carefully.
If you can't find water spinach (often labeled Ong Choy), substitute a large bunch of mature spinach or Swiss chard. Cut the cooking time in half, as they wilt almost instantly.
Fake the sweet soy sauce.
If you can't source Indonesian kecap manis, mix 1 tablespoon of regular soy sauce with 1 tablespoon of dark brown sugar or molasses until a thick syrup forms.