Tumis Kangkung Bumbu Pedas (Spicy Stir Fry Kangkung/Water Spinach With Toasted Shrimp Paste)

I bet you never had this delicious vegetable !.
It is amazing to me that I can get almost everything here in California. I don't even know where they coming from, considering that this plant really need a lot of water to be able to grow, hence the name, water spinach. I remember when I was growing up in Bali, sometimes my grand mother would sent my sister, and I, with a bunch of other cousins to the rice field to collect this water spinach. Even back then, I really love it, especially when our grand mother made this Balinese kangkung dish called "Pelecing Kangkung" (I'll share the recipe one day), it was really delicious, spicy, and fragrant at the same time. It has the juice of special lime (juwuk limo) that Balinese love to use literally in every dish. I am hoping that one day this special lime will be able in California as well. For now, I just use kaffir lime as substitute, it's pretty close.

Today, I am sharing this common Indonesian everyday dish called "Tumis kangkung". I believe that Malaysian also has similar dish called "kangkung Belachan". It is very easy to make, and delicious to serve as a side dish. I personally like eat it with plain rice and simple ikan bakar (grilled striped bass), or with other grilled fish like this one.

Tumis Kangkung Bumbu Pedas
~elra~

1 lb (more or less) kangkung (available at the Asian market)
4 shallots, roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
5 red jalapeno, or Thai pepper (use less if using Thai pepper), roughly chopped
1 tsp toasted terasi (shrimp paste)*
2 Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
handful cherry tomatoes (optional)
½ tbs fish sauce (choose this brand, it's less fishy then any other brand)
salt, as needed
2 - 3 tbs vegetable oil

* you can get terasi (shrimp paste) at the Asian market, choose Indonesian shrimp paste that has been toasted, which is dry and less pungent then the one from Singapore.

• Place shallots, garlic, red jalapeno, toasted shrimp paste, and Roma tomatoes in a food processor. Process to make smooth bumbu (spice paste).

• Cut the kangkung into small pieces. Wash and drain in a colander.

• Preheat the wok over medium high heat, when its hot enough, turn the heat to medium, add oil, and the bumbu, fry until the raw smell is disappear, and the water evaporated. Add the kangkung, fish sauce, and cherry tomatoes. Turn the heat back to medium high, keep stirring and cook just until kangkung is wilted, about 3 minutes (do not overcook). Taste to adjust seasoning, transfer to a serving dish and serve with steam jasmine rice.

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