stry fri kangkung with salted anchovy
Kangkung is a very common ingredient of Indonesian dishes. The vegetable flourishes naturally in waterways and requires little if any care. It has also been introduced to the United States where its high growth rate has caused it to become an environmental problem, especially in Florida and Texas. It has been officially designated by the USDA as a “noxious weed” (the therm “noxious” refers to its effect on the environment, not to any toxicity). In the US, you can purchase Kangkung at farmers markets or Asian/Chinese grocery stores and it sometimes is called ‘ong choy’.
This yummy dish recipe is my family favorite. It is very easy and quick to prepare. In Indonesian, it is called ‘tumis kangkung ikan teri’ or ‘cah kangkung ikan teri”. ’Ikan teri’, salted-dried anchovy, is another ingredient that is used a lot in Indonesia. It is relatively inexpensive and widely available.
Ingredients:
- 2 bunches kangkung, wash thoroughly and remove stemd from the leaves
- Red chilies, sliced. I sometimes use dried chili peppers instead.
- 4 shallots, sliced thinly
- 2 closed garlic sliced
- 2 bay leaves (daun salam)
- a small piece of gallanga (laos)
- some dry salted anchovy
- vegetable oil
Directions:
- heat vegetable oil i a wok
- sautéed shallots and garlic for 30 secs
- add chili pepers, stir fry 30 secs
- add anchoy in and stir fry another 30 secs or so
- add galangal and by leaves, stir fry further for 1 min
- place kankgung and coock for about 3 minutes or until the kangkung is soften, add a touch of salt and white pepper to taste, mix and serve
