Stir Fried Water Spinach with Shrimp Paste

5 from 6 votes

This is an EASY Stir Fried Water Spinach with Shrimp Paste recipe that takes 20 minutes. It's a quick way to add vegetables to your meal!

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Asian, Cantonese, Chinese

Servings:

Calories: 99kcal

To prepare the water spinach, rip and discard the tip of the leaves and 3cm (1") from the bottom, then break the remaining stems into 10cm (4") segments.
Wash the greens by soaking them in cold salted water for 5-10 minutes, then rinsing clean. Repeat this step with new salted water 3-4 times and let it drip dry in the colander.
Pour oil into a wok on medium heat and brown the garlic and chili for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Add the shrimp paste to cook for 30 seconds.
Turn the heat to high and pour the water spinach into the wok, then season with chicken bouillon powder and stir fry for 3-5 minutes or until they have cooked to your preferred consistency.
Plate and serve immediately!

Make sure the water spinach is completely dry before stir frying. Any moisture will soften the vegetable rather than helping it maintain its crunch.
Use fresh ingredients. Young leafy greens will ensure a tender bite while still staying crisp if the heat is controlled well.
Keep the heat on high. If these vegetables are cooked in a low-medium heat, they'll have plenty of opportunity to release their water content and cook through boiling. This will result in a soggy wilted dish instead.
We use Lee Kum Kee's Fine Shrimp Sauce for our recipe, but you can find many versions from various brands in Asian supermarkets. They will all have varying levels of saltiness, so make sure to season accordingly.