The most popular way of having this veggie is cooked spicy with a prawn paste http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrimp_paste commonly known as "Kangkung Belachan" This dish can be found from the roadside hawker right up to exclusive high-end Chinese restaurant here. In Chinese Cantonese dialect it is called "Malai Chan Ong Choy". After reading Eileen's reply to my post "State of neglect" I was just in time to catch Becky starting to prepare the kangkung for lunch First we have to peel or cut the veggie into lenghts of about 2~3 inches as just single leaf. The stalk can be eaten too provided they are not too old. If it is bent an does not snap then it is on the old side but still can be eaten provided it is cooked longer. Peeling Kangkung ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) Have them washed and put into a colander to drain of any excess water. Draining ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) Dice a onion, usually it is finely chopped but Becky like the onion diced. Also finely chopped a couple of fresh chilis (Becky had hers done earlier and she always have finelly chopped chili in the fridge). If you do not have it, dired chili or paprika will be just fine. Diced onion ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) Heat up some oil in a wok and sauté the onions and chili. Sauté the onion and chili ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) Now add in prefried dried shrimps http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dried_shrimp about 1 tablespoon will do.(To prepare the dried shrimps, which I am sure you can get in in China Town, first wash them then have them lightly pounded and fry in shallow oil slow fire until fragant.) and powdered "belachan" about 1 or ½ teaspoon will do.(Maybe you can get this prawn paste in China Town too.)(To prepare the prawn paste just dry it on a hot pan taking care not to burn it then pound it until powder.) Continue to fry until until you can smell the wonderful yummie fragrant. Add in prefried dried shrimps and prawn paste powder. ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) Then dump in all the kangkung and stir fried until cook or desired tenderness. Dump in kangkung ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) Add in a little water if necessary and salt to taste. Add a little water & salt to taste. ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) "Malai Chan Ong Choy" is served, enjoy. :-D "Malai Chan Ong Choy" ( photo / image / picture from KK Ng's Garden ) Please note that the quantity of the ingridents is very dependent on the amount of veggie available and the taste desired. This dish is normally eaten with rice and to have a complete meal of it a meat and or fish dish can be added. Another simple way of preparing kangkung is just to stir fry it with garlic. Just remove the garlic dry skin smash it, about 3~5 pips. Sautè the garlic till fragant in medium heat then dump in the kangkung and continue to stir fry at full heat until cooked or desired tenderness is attain. Add a little soy sauce to taste. We can enjoy this dish anyway we like it Another very easy way is just to boil it in water in a bunch and then cut it with a pair of scissors. Add in desired sauce and enjoy.
That looks wonderful, I could almost smell the chillis and onions cooking...that is a smell that brings back so many memories of living in Singapore...Thank you for sharing this recipe, I will be sure to try it!
Mmmm... Hold a seat for me, I'm coming over! I wish. Thanks for a very descriptive receipt. We haven't got a China Town between here and ... ehm... I don't know where the closest one is, so we'd best head over to some classy restaurant.
Many thanks for that delicious sounding recipe KK. Well timed indeed as we get to see how to prepare the kangkung too!! I went to three different supermarkets today and even one Chinese one to try and buy some of this vegetable. Sadly the British ones hadn't a clue what I was talking about and the Chinese one didn't stock it. I then tried various garden centres for seeds - also without any luck. :'( I'm now going to try searching on the internet for seeds. Keep your fingers crossed for me as I'd really like to try growing some in my greenhouse.
OK I have to make a correction here, the correct spelling for Kangkung is actually Kangkong. When I was in school I learn to spell it with a o but somewhere along some one change almost all the o in the Malay language to u like kampong to kampung, datok to datuk ..... ah well!!! I guess it did not work out internationally and I didn't know that the spelling with the o are still very much in use. Sorry for the mistake. Thanks Delly, guess you must know how it smell like more or less. If you can get the ingridents you must try it. Droopy I am still holding on the for you but I can't help it Burrp!! Ooops I finished the last bits I do not know about restaurants in Norway but in London you'll have a good chance of getting it from a Malaysian Chinese restaurant. Eileen if my memory does not fail me I think you can get it from Tesco, and for the seeds you can try this site http://www.carreglefn-nurseries.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=339 My fingers and toes are all crossed and I have a real good feeling that you can get them Bunkie, if you don't peel it, it is going to get tangled up into a bunch making it real difficult to eat!! If you were to look at it closely it is nothing like broccoli http://www.gardenstew.com/plantstew/30759#taxon-images
Thank you so much KK for taking the time to find that website for me. We don't have a Tesco store near us but now that I know they may have it I'm willing to travel to get some from them. I'll telephone them first though to save being disappointed if it's not in stock. Once I've tried it then I'll order the seeds from the site you gave me. Thanks again.
Great post KK, that really inspired me. Think I will try some version of this tonight. I'll have a happy hubby.
Bunkie, I guess it is edible since the plant is edible .... I think It's no trouble at all Eileen, you are welcome Thanks Cuatro-gatos, hope your hubby is happy!
OK! I have some seeds for this plant!! Can you give some pointers on cultivation??? I have not grown it as yet. Looks wonderful!
Your Kangkong looks so delicious! It's my lunch time, and now my tummy is growling I won't be eating anything quite so appetizing.
Hmmm! I wonder how much a plane ticket to Malaysia is? That really looks good!! Thanks for the show!! Dave
Hi Thepondlady ..... thanks, it is quite easy to plant. What i do is to plant it on a raised bed and sow the seeds directly into the ground at 4 inches apart in a square. Take care not to bury too deep, about ¼ inch would be great and water twice daily, morning and evening. Harvest when it is 8~10 inches long by cutting it about 1 inch above the ground and you can get another harvest in about 2 weeks. Good luck. Thanks Kay, it is appetizing. Will be making another harvest in a day or two, join me?? :-D Hi Dave, if you hurry you can have dinner with us from the coming harvest!!
