KangKung is the Malay word for Water Spinach or water concolvulus, a tropical semi-aquatic plant grown as a leaf vegetable all over Asia and Southest Asia. It is usually used in soups and stir-fries. This leafy vegetable comes in bunches and can be quite gritty as it is harvested fresh, so make sure to wash with lots of running water. I usually use only the leaves, but you can use the stems as well. Also make sure to drain well before stir-frying. You can leave it in a colander to drain for at least an hour or if you want to use it immediately, a salad-spinner works great to get rid of the excess water, too. A perfectly cooked KangKung should be nice and dry. It needs to be bright and green in colour and must remain crunchy and not soggy. The Chinese Chilli Paste is a speciality of Sri Lanka, which gives a nice umami flavour as its made with dried shrimp and chillies. It can be substituted with Belacan (Shrimp Paste), which is a common pungent ingredient found in most Asian Supermarkets.
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Ingredients:
400g beef
200g kankung (water spinach)
4 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 tbsp teriyaki sauce
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp Chinese chilli paste
1/2 tbsp dried chilli flakes
2 tsp corn flour diluted in 3 tbsp of water
1 tbsp oil
Method:
Wash and drain the beef well. Cut it into thin, ideally flat strips and place in a dish or bowl.
Add the chilli flakes, teriyaki sauce and soy sauce and marinate for 5 to 10 minutes in room temperature. You can also substitute the teriyaki sauce with oyster sauce. If you want to marinate the beef for longer or overnight, place it in the refrigerator, sealed with a plastic wrap. Take it out and leave it to come down to room temperature for at least 30 minutes before use.
Pour the oil into a shallow pan or wok. Before it gets too hot add the garlic and gently sauté until it sizzles. We do this because we don't want the garlic to burn too quickly but cook slowly to bring out all its wonderful flavours.
Now add the strips of beef and stir-fry it well. Remember, it needs to be really thin so that it can cook quickly.
Once the beef is around 70% cooked, add the chilli paste and combine well.
Now add the kangkung and cook quickly for about 2 to 3 minutes until it is nice and wilted. Also the leaves need to be bright in colour and crispy. If you cook it too long the kangkung will become soggy and chewy.
Now add the diluted corn flour mixture and stir well for a minute.
Remove from the heat immediately and serve hot.
This dish is usually served as a side with Chinese Fried Rice and other dishes. You can also enjoy it with a simple bowl of steamed rice.
PS: If you make any of my recipes, do tag me on Instagram as @MyFoodyChic and use the #MyFoodyChic hashtag. I really do love seeing your takes on my recipes!
XOXO, Jovanka
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