Plecing kangkung

Plecing kangkung is a vibrant Lombok-style water spinach salad, served with a spicy sambal made from chili, tomato and lime. Fresh, fiery and zesty, it’s a bold accompaniment that brings any meal to life. This recipe, shared with Lara Lee during her travels in Indonesia, comes from Ibu Zaza.

Credit: Beyond Bali with Lara Lee

• serves

  6

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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Beyond Bali With Lara Lee

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Ingredients

• 2 bunches kangkung (water spinach)
• 10 snake beans, trimmed, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 100 g fried peanuts, to serve

For the chilli paste

• 10 cayenne peppers
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• Plecing chilli sauce (see Note) or other chilli sauce), to taste
• 5 tomatoes
• 5 curly chillies
• 1 tbsp chilli shrimp paste
• 1 tsp MSG
• 150 ml just boiled water
• 2 limes, juiced

Instructions

1. Have a large bowl of chilled water on standby. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the water spinach and cook until bright green, then use tongs to transfer to the bowl of chilled water. Remove and wring out any excess water. Add the snake beans to the simmering water and cook for 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.
   
2. Meanwhile, make the chilli paste. Combine the cayenne peppers, salt, sugar and enough chilli sauce to your taste in a mortar and pestle. Pound to a smooth paste. You can also use a food processor for this step. Add the remaining ingredients, then process to a smooth paste.
   
3. Heat the oil in a small saucepan, then add the chilli paste mixture. Sauté until the sambal thickens and is no longer watery. Taste and season with salt to your taste.
   
4. When ready to serve, combine the blanched vegetables in a large bowl. Spoon over the sambal and toss lightly to combine. Sprinkle with fried peanuts and serve.

Note

Sambal plecing is a type of regional Lombok chilli sauce containing tamarind and roasted shrimp paste. Use your preferred chilli sauce as a substitute.

Watch how to make this recipe on Episode 3 of Beyond Bali with Lara Lee, streaming free on SBS On Demand.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

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Beyond Bali With Lara Lee

series • 

travel

PG

series • 

travel

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