Cah Kangkung (Stir-Fried Water Spinach)
Crunchy water spinach stir-fried in minutes with garlic, shallot, chili and a splash of oyster sauce. A fast, everyday green side dish to eat with rice.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Prepare the greens
Wash the water spinach well, trim off the tough bottom ends, and cut into 6 cm (2.5 in) pieces. Keep the stems and leaves in separate piles.
- 2 bunches (about 500g) water spinach
Fry garlic, shallot and chili
Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Add the garlic, shallots and chilies and fry for 30–60 seconds, stirring, until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.
- 2 tbsp oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 shallots
- 1–2 red chilies
✅ Done when: fragrant and lightly golden, not browned
Add the stems
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Add the leaves and sauce
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Serve
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Prepare the greens
Wash the water spinach well, trim off the tough bottom ends, and cut into 6 cm (2.5 in) pieces. Keep the stems and leaves in separate piles.
- 2 bunches (about 500g) water spinach
Fry garlic, shallot and chili
Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Add the garlic, shallots and chilies and fry for 30–60 seconds, stirring, until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.
- 2 tbsp oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 shallots
- 1–2 red chilies
✅ Done when: fragrant and lightly golden, not browned
Add the stems
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Add the leaves and sauce
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Serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Kangkung, or water spinach, grows quickly in wet fields, ponds and riverbanks, so it is one of the cheapest vegetables in Indonesia. It has hollow stems that stay crunchy when cooked.
'Cah' comes from a Chinese word for stir-frying, showing the Chinese influence on Indonesian home cooking.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It takes only five minutes and turns a cheap green into something garlicky and delicious.
💡 Fun Fact
A spicier version, kangkung belacan or plecing kangkung from Lombok, uses shrimp paste and a fresh tomato sambal.
Indonesia and Southeast Asia
-6.21°S, 106.85°E
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