Recipes and tips from local chef Violet Oon!
Sweet potato leaves was a traditional favorite during the olden days, but has gained popularity in modern Singapore kitchens. The slightly sticky texture of the leaves complements the delectable sambal sauce with its coconut milk base.
I’ve added red spinach leaves and sweet potatoes, for a more complete meal experience.
Buying locally farmed vegetables helps to promote environmental stewardship as food travels a shorter distance. This not only saves resources and fuel, but it also means the food comes to me fresher.
Ingredients
- 150g Sweet potato leaves
- 150g Red spinach leaves
- 250g Sweet potatoes
- 25g Dried shrimp
- 5 Red chillies, sliced roughly
- 6 cloves Garlic, peeled
- 6 Shallots, peeled
- 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 350 ml Coconut cream
- (UHT packet or chilled)*
- 150 ml Water
- ½ tsp (or more) Salt, to taste
*Option to replace packaged coconut cream with fresh coconut milk. Add 350ml water to a freshly grated coconut and extract the milk.
Method
1. Wash sweet potato leaves and red spinach leaves. Pluck off leaves, chop stalks to finger-length, and discard the stringy fibres on the surface of each stalk.
2. Peel sweet potatoes, cut into wedges, and soak in tap water.
3. Soak dried shrimp for 10 min, then drain.
4. Pound or grind dried shrimps, red chillies, garlic and shallots until fine.
5. Heat a wok, add oil and stir fry till the spice mixture is fragrant (about 2 to 3 min). Add water and sweet potatoes and boil till sweet potatoes are cooked.
6. Add coconut cream and bring to a boil.
7. Just before serving, add the vegetable stalks, bring to a boil on high heat and add the leaves. Bring to a boil again, turn off heat and add salt to taste.
8. Ready to serve with steamed rice for 4 persons.
Food Safety Tips
- Do not buy fruit and vegetables that are bruised, blemished, shrivelled or mouldy.
- Fruit and vegetables are perishables. Buy only what you can eat within a few days.
Brought to you by:
For the Freshest, Go Local
Choose locally farmed vegetables supplied from farms that are certified and accredited under the Good Agricultural Practice for Vegetable Farming (GAP-VF) Scheme.
Look out for the GAP-VF quality assurance logo and be assured of buying the best.
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