Work top to bottom — prep ahead while timers run
Gather everything first, then follow the steps
Vegetables· 3
- 150 g water spinach (cut into lengths)150g
- 8 g garlic (minced)8g
- 6 g red chili (sliced)6g
Sauces· 2
- 6 g shrimp paste (belacan, ~1 small piece)6g
- 10 g chili paste (cili boh)10g
Spices· 2
- pinch of sugar(staple)1g
- pinch of salt(staple)1g
Fats & oils· 1
- 5 g cooking oil (1 tsp)(staple)5g
Wash the water spinach and cut it up, keeping stems and leaves separate; mash the belacan with a fork and mix it with the chili paste and garlic into a sambal paste.
Why? Separating stems from leaves matters: stems need longer, leaves cook fast — adding them in stages avoids half raw, half mushy.Tip: Spin the water spinach dry — wet leaves steam instead of stir-fry.
Next up:Heat the wok, add 1 tsp oil and fry the sambal paste over medium heat for 1–2 min until the belacan smells fully toasted.
- 2 min · hands-free
Heat the wok, add 1 tsp oil and fry the sambal paste over medium heat for 1–2 min until the belacan smells fully toasted.
Why? Belacan must be fully toasted to smell savoury rather than raw — and it's exactly that deep umami that lets us stop at 1 tsp of oil instead of the restaurant's heavy pour.Watch out: Belacan is pungent and burns easily — keep the heat moderate and switch on the extractor fan.01:30Next up:Turn the heat high, toss in the water spinach stems and sliced red chili for 1 min, then add the leaves with the sugar and salt and stir-fry 1–2 min.
Turn the heat high, toss in the water spinach stems and sliced red chili for 1 min, then add the leaves with the sugar and salt and stir-fry 1–2 min.
Why? High-heat fast tossing locks in the greens' colour and crunch — overcooking makes them weep, yellow and dilute the flavour.Tip: The pinch of sugar isn't for sweetness — it balances the salt of the belacan and the heat of the chili.