Tumis Kangkung Stir-Fried Water Spinach

Name: Tumis Kangkung Stir-Fried Water Spinach
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 18 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: 1 lb water spinach (kangkung) or regular spinach, stems trimmed; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 6 garlic cloves, minced; 4 shallots, thinly sliced; 2 red fresno or bird's eye chili, thinly sliced; 1/2 tsp fermented shrimp paste (terasi) or 1 tsp fish sauce; 1 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce or tamari; 1 tbsp gluten-free oyster sauce or hoisin sauce; 2 tbsp water; 1/4 tsp salt

18 minEasyServes 4120 cal/serving

IndonesianSideStovetopVeganLow CarbDairy-FreeEgg-FreeGluten-FreeLow-SodiumPork-Free

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

1 lb water spinach (kangkung) or regular spinach, stems trimmed
2 tbsp vegetable oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 shallots, thinly sliced
2 red fresno or bird's eye chili, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp fermented shrimp paste (terasi) or 1 tsp fish sauce
1 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce or tamari
1 tbsp gluten-free oyster sauce or hoisin sauce
2 tbsp water
1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

1

Wash and drain the 1 lb stems trimmed water spinach (kangkung) or regular spinach thoroughly. Cut any long stems into 3-inch pieces and keep leaves whole.
2

In a small bowl, mix together the 1 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce or tamari, 1 tbsp gluten-free oyster sauce or hoisin sauce, and 2 tbsp water. Set aside.
3

Heat the 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the 6 minced garlic cloves, 4 thinly sliced shallots, 2 thinly sliced red fresno or bird's eye chili, and 1/2 tsp fermented shrimp paste (terasi) or 1 tsp fish sauce. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
4

Add the water spinach (kangkung) or regular spinach to the wok. Toss quickly with tongs or a spatula. Pour the sauce mixture over the top.
5

Stir-fry over high heat for 2-3 minutes, tossing constantly, until the greens are just wilted but still vibrant. Season with 1/4 tsp salt to taste.
6

Transfer immediately to a serving plate. Serve hot alongside steamed rice.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Keep this recipe

Prints the ingredients and method only.

The Indonesian Kitchen 30 recipes from this kitchen in one printable PDF. $5, no account.

Questions

What is Tumis Kangkung Stir-Fried Water Spinach?

A fast and fiery Indonesian stir-fry of water spinach (or regular spinach) with garlic, shallots, and chilies in a savory, garlicky sauce. One of the most popular vegetables dishes across Indonesia and Southeast Asia, it is on the table in under 15 minutes. This reference files it under Indonesian side: made on the stovetop, rated easy and about 18 minutes start to finish.

How do I know when Tumis Kangkung Stir-Fried Water Spinach is done?

Go by the cues in the method rather than the clock. Step 5: cook until the greens are just wilted but still vibrant.

Is there a substitute for oyster sauce in Tumis Kangkung Stir-Fried Water Spinach?

The entry for Tumis Kangkung Stir-Fried Water Spinach calls for 1 tbsp gluten-free oyster sauce or hoisin sauce. In its place: Hoisin thinned with a little soy sauce is the nearest shelf substitute, and a mushroom stir-fry sauce is the vegetarian one. Both are sweeter, so hold back any sugar in the recipe.

How hot is Tumis Kangkung Stir-Fried Water Spinach?

Yes, it is properly hot. The heat in Tumis Kangkung Stir-Fried Water Spinach comes from 2 red fresno or bird's eye chili, thinly sliced. For a milder plate, remove the seeds and ribs from the chili, or use half; nothing else in the method changes. For more, add it at the table rather than in the pot, so everyone sets their own level.

Does Tumis Kangkung Stir-Fried Water Spinach contain shellfish?

Yes: 1/2 tsp fermented shrimp paste (terasi) or 1 tsp fish sauce and 1 tbsp gluten-free oyster sauce or hoisin sauce. The full allergen list for this entry is soy, shellfish and fish. Packaged ingredients vary by brand, so check labels if the allergy is serious.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,544 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.