VISIT OUR SISTER SITE: EASY WEEKNIGHT
RECIPE BOX: LOGIN / REGISTER

Rasa Malaysia: Easy Delicious Recipes

Rasa Malaysia: Easy Delicious Recipes

  • Recipes
  • Chinese Food
  • Ingredients
  • Giveaways
FacebookPinterestInstagramTwitterYoutubeEmailRSS
Browse Recipes
  • Select Category
    • American Recipes
    • Chicken Recipes
    • Chinese Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Asian Recipes
    • Thai Recipes
    • Japanese Recipes
    • Korean Recipes
    • Malaysian Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • More
  • Select Ingredient
    • Chicken
    • Beef
    • Shrimp
    • Salmon
    • Potatoes
    • Vegetables
    • More
You are here:Home / Recipes / Malaysian Recipes / Belacan Yam Leaf (Sweet Potato Leaf)

Belacan Yam Leaf (Sweet Potato Leaf)

Jump To Recipe
Recipe Index

Belacan Yam Leaf (Sweet Potato Leaf) recipe - A signature Malaysian dish called kangkung belacan or stir-fried water spinach/morning glory with shrimp paste. The key ingredient is none other than belacan, the Malaysian variety of shrimp paste. | rasamalaysia.com

Belacan Yam Leaf (Sweet Potato Leaf) recipe - A signature Malaysian dish called kangkung belacan or stir-fried water spinach/morning glory with shrimp paste. The key ingredient is none other than belacan, the Malaysian variety of shrimp paste. | rasamalaysia.com

I do eat vegetables and other foods. I really do. I just don’t post them that much on this blog (which I intend to change soon) because seafood dishes are a lot more photogenic than, say, tofu, beans, turnip, chicken with skin and bones.

I am partial to seafood, but I also love my greens, poultry/pork, eggs, soy products, and other foodstuff.

One vegetable dish that I simply can’t do without in my cooking repertoire is a signature Malaysian dish called kangkung belacan or stir-fried water spinach/morning glory with shrimp paste, even though it means that I have a stinky house!

The key ingredient is none other than belacan, the Malaysian variety of shrimp paste. (Shrimp paste is an essential flavoring medium in Southeast Asian cooking.) Strong, pungent, yet aromatic at the same time, the pairing of belacan with vegetables is probably one of the most interesting stir-frying techniques for vegetables. The taste is bold, exquisite, and never boring…

Belacan Yam Leaf (Sweet Potato Leaf) recipe - A signature Malaysian dish called kangkung belacan or stir-fried water spinach/morning glory with shrimp paste. The key ingredient is none other than belacan, the Malaysian variety of shrimp paste. | rasamalaysia.com

For today’s creation, I used yam leaf/sweet potato leaf (蕃薯叶), which works as well as water spinach. While it might seem or look simple, perfect execution is not easy.

Wok hei (the breath of the wok) and timing are exceedingly important; a little too much wok hei or a tad too long in the wok can render the dish a complete failure, for example: burned belacan that tastes bitter or overcooked vegetables that look purple-ish in color.

Belacan Yam Leaf (Sweet Potato Leaf) recipe - A signature Malaysian dish called kangkung belacan or stir-fried water spinach/morning glory with shrimp paste. The key ingredient is none other than belacan, the Malaysian variety of shrimp paste. | rasamalaysia.com

While I love this recipe, I must warn you that it’s an acquired taste, especially for an American palate. However, it’s well worth a try because you probably can’t find another vegetable dish as intriguing or delicious as this one!

Other signature Malaysian recipes\ can be found here.

How Many Calories Per Serving?

This recipe is only 188 calories per serving.

5 Secrets to 20 Min Dinners
Get tricks for quick & easy meals!
    REGISTER TO SAVE RECIPE »
    Print
    Leave a review 🡢

    Stir-fried Yam Leaf (Sweet Potato Leaf) with Belacan (Shrimp Paste) Recipe

    Servings 4 people

    Belacan Yam Leaf (Sweet Potato Leaf) recipe - A signature Malaysian dish called kangkung belacan or stir-fried water spinach/morning glory with shrimp paste. The key ingredient is none other than belacan, the Malaysian variety of shrimp paste. 

    Calories 188 kcal
    Author Bee | Rasa Malaysia

    Ingredients

    Ingredients:

    • 1 box yam leaf, approximately 0.8 lb
    • 1 tablespoon belacan/shrimp paste
    • 2 red bird's eye chilies or 1 regular red chili, remove seeds and thinly cut
    • 3 tablespoons cooking oil
    • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
    • 1 tablespoon roasted chili paste
    • 1 tablespoon dried shrimp
    • 3 dashes fish sauce

    Roasted Chili Paste:

    • 1 handful dried chilies
    • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
    • water
    Click Here for Conversion Tool

    Directions

    1. 1
      Grind the dried chilies and cooking oil in a blender. Add a little water while blending.
    2. 2
      Heat the wok, pour some cooking oil and stir-fry the chili paste for about 3 minutes. Set aside.
    3. 3
      Soak the dried shrimp in warm water for 10 minutes, then coarsely pound them using mortar and pestle. Set aside.
    4. 4
      Cut the stems of the yam leaf. Keep only the tender part of the stems. Rinse with cold water and then set aside.
    5. 5
      Fire up the wok to HIGH heat and add the cooking oil. Wait till smoke comes out from the wok then add in the chopped garlic. Do a quick stir, add in the belacan, dried shrimp, and roasted chili paste and continue stirring. As soon as you smell the pungent aroma of belacan, toss in the yam leaf. Stir continuously until the leaves started to wilt. Add in a few dashes of fish sauce, continue stirring (make sure the color of the vegetable remains green). Dish up and serve hot.

    Recipe Notes

    In the US, sweet potato leaf (蕃薯叶) is marketed as yam leaf. If you use water spinach, the recipe works the same. Dried shrimps should complement the belacan instead of competing with it, so you don't want to use too much of them.

    Nutrition Facts
    Stir-fried Yam Leaf (Sweet Potato Leaf) with Belacan (Shrimp Paste) Recipe
    Amount Per Serving (4 people)
    Calories 188 Calories from Fat 162
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 18g28%
    Saturated Fat 1g6%
    Cholesterol 85mg28%
    Sodium 323mg14%
    Potassium 24mg1%
    Carbohydrates 2g1%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 6g12%
    Vitamin A 85IU2%
    Vitamin C 5mg6%
    Calcium 34mg3%
    Iron 0.5mg3%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Malaysian
    Keyword: Belacan Yam Leaf
    Love this Recipe? Try More »

    Latest Recipes:

    Naan

    Baked Cod

    Butter Cookies

    Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

    Easy Weeknight New Recipes:

    Shrimp Scampi

    Garlic Parmesan Spaghetti

    Creamy Garlic Butter Chicken

    Spaghetti Carbonara

    Pin748
    Share92
    Tweet
    840 Shares
    If you try my recipe. please share it on social media using
    hashtag #rasamalaysia on so I can see your creations!
    Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter
    for more new recipes, giveaways and more.
    JOIN RASA MALAYSIA INSIDERS ON FACEBOOK

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    49 COMMENTS... read them below or add one

    1. Kortez

      September 16, 2018 at 5:30 AM

      Reply

      This is the kind of recipe I really love, and I have belacan in my pantry. Thank you!

      • Rasa Malaysia

        September 17, 2018 at 12:22 PM

        Reply

        Thanks Kortez. Belacan is amazing.

    2. John Kan

      April 11, 2018 at 9:08 PM

      Reply

      Terima Kasih! Love your all your recipes. I am a former Sabahan now living in the US and prefer to cook Malaysian dishes more often whenever possible. In fact, in the spring, I planted my own Kang Kung in my garden. Whenever I cook dishes with Belacan, none of my friends would come visit me.

      • Rasa Malaysia

        April 12, 2018 at 7:14 PM

        Reply

        Hi John, thanks for trying my recipe.

    3. jeff phenix

      November 22, 2017 at 1:02 PM

      Reply

      hi there – thanx so much for these recipes – i am half malaysian, living in UK and about to do a dinner party 1st time cooking this dish which i love BUT – the smell is so strong – wondering if i can part cook it before and then just reheat?! Will that work or will veg be awful? pls with any suggestions as doing this in 2 days!

      • Rasa Malaysia

        November 22, 2017 at 7:36 PM

        Reply

        Hi Jeff, yes the smell is strong there is no way to escape the smell if you want to cook with belacan.

    4. Selene

      January 7, 2016 at 11:29 PM

      Reply

      Found a short cut for the sambal paste, and it tasted yummy! Substituted with instant sambal belachan paste from prima taste sold in supermarkets. Try it!

    5. Ellie

      May 29, 2014 at 5:35 PM

      Reply

      Looks so yummy. If yours comes out a bit salty, I recommend drizzling it with few drops of lemon.

    author image

    Hello from Bee

    Welcome! Check out my Recipe Index, follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and sign up for FREE email newsletter.

    Popular Recipes

    Chicken Recipes
    Salmon Recipes
    Instant Pot Recipes
    Potatoes Recipes
    As Seen On ...

    Get Cooking

    • Easy Asian Takeout
    • Recipe Gallery
    • Ingredients Guide
    • Weekly Meal Plans
    • Penang Tour
    • Conversion Tool

    Information

    • About
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
    • Giveaway Rules
    • Giveaway Winners
    • Contact

    Follow Me

    • RSS Feed
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Youtube
    • Twitter

    GET FREE RECIPES VIA EMAIL:

      FacebookPinterestInstagramTwitterYoutubeEmailRSS
      author image

      Rasa Malaysia © 2006-2019 Bee Interactive Corp.

      No part of the content (digital photographs, recipes, articles, etc.) or this site may be reproduced without prior written permission. Rasa Malaysia contains affiliate links and sponsored posts. Can't spell Rasa Malaysia? Try easydelicious.recipes.