Kangkung Belacan (Stir-fried Water Spinach)
If you’re juggling a full-time job and kids, you know that the “dinner crunch” is real! Kangkung Belacan is also known as stir-fried water spinach with shrimp paste (yes, a pretty long name!)This Kangkung Belacan dish is a staple for a reason: it is incredibly easy to follow and budget-friendly! Not only that, this recipe packs a massive punch of flavours that pairs perfectly with a simple bowl of steamed rice.
I know that the traditional version can be quite spicy but trust me when I say this family-friendly recipe is easily adjustable so the kids can enjoy the crunch without the heat, while the adults still get that signature savoury depth from the toasted shrimp paste.
I am going to share with you how to get that perfect “breath of the wok” at home in 20 minutes. It’s the perfect quick dinner recipe for busy parents (us included!) who want to put a nutritious, flavourful meal on the table without the unnecessary stress.
Why You’ll love this Kangkung Belacan:
- Quick and easy: Cooks nicely under 20 minutes!
- Simple ingredients: The main star of the dish is the water spinach itself! The rest are your handy pantry staples.
- Kid-friendly option: I’ll show you how to balance the spice so the little ones can enjoy this kangkung dish over rice too.
What is belacan?
Belacan is commonly used in Singapore and Malaysia. While you might think “shrimp paste” sounds like it is meant to be in a liquid form, belacan on the other hand is dry, fermented shrimp paste. As it is fermented, we are able to store belacan for a longer
If you enjoyed making this kangkung belacan dish, you’d like to pair it with these delicious recipes:
Kangkung Belacan ingredients:
- Belacan (Fermented shrimp paste)
- 2 tbsp cooking oil (I used olive oil for this recipe!)
- Onions: Diced or minced
- Ikan bilis (dried anchovies)
- Red chilli (cut)
- Salt
- Kangkung (Water spinach)
- Water
How to make Kangkung Belacan
My mum loves making us this kangkung recipe because having a side dish this simple yet so yummy definitely elevates your meal.
First, heat up oil in a medium size pan. After that, add the onions and saute them until they are a little brown. Then, you add the crushed belacan, ikan bilis and red chilli – remember to always mix well! Once mixed, add salt to taste and stir again. Add the kangkung into the pan and let it cook for 5 minutes covered with a lid.
After 5 minutes, open the lid and add water to create a slight gravy to the dish. Cover it and let it cook for 10 minutes then stir it well! The water spinach will wither and soak up the umami flavours!
Kangkung Belacan (Stir-fried Water Spinach)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil oil of choice
- 3 small onions diced/minced
- 1/2 belacan crushed
- 3 tbsp ikan bilis (dried anchovies)
- 3 red chilli cut
- 1 kangkung depends on no. of pax
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Heat up oil in a medium size pan. Add diced/minced onions and saute until it is slightly brown.
- Add belacan, ikan bilis and red chilli. Mix them well.
- Add salt and mix again. Then, add the kangkung and stir as best as possible.
- Cover the lid and let it cook for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, remove the lid and add water. Stir the water spinach well and ensuring it mixes nicely together. Close the lid and let it cook for another 10 minutes.
- Open the lid and mix it well. You're done!
