Spicy Sweet Potato Leaves

How many of us have ever heard that sweet potato leaves are edible? In South East Asia, this is our regular kind of vegetable. Yes, they are edible, yummy and taste just like kangkung (water spinach).

In Toronto, sweet potato leaves can be easily found in Chinese grocery stores but they are not cheap. They cost around 3 dollars per pound. Last summer, my husband and I planted sweet potatoes in our backyard so we could indulge as much as we like. The leaves grow just like vines!. They can be stir fried, cooked with pumpkin in a curry sauce and so much more. I like to stir fry the leaves just like my mother does back home. I sauté them with preserved soy beans, dried shrimps and hot sauce....all packed with Indonesian flavour!

Skill Level: Easy

Serves: 4 - 5

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lbs sweet potato leaves
• 1 onion, sliced thinly
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tbsp dried shrimps, soaked for 10 minutes
• 2 tbsp preserved soy beans (tauco)
• 2 tbsp all-purpose sambal
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 1/4 cup water

 METHOD: 

1. Strip the sweet potato leaves with its stem from tough, woody branches. Rinse well
2. In a wok, heat up the cooking oil until smoking. Add in sliced onions and garlic and stir until golden brown
3. Mix in dried shrimps, preserved soy beans and all purpose sambal. Stir for another minute
4. Add in the sweet potato leaves and cook for several minutes until they are half wilted
5. Mix in water, taste. If not salty enough, you can add in dashes of fish sauce according to your taste. Keep stirring the ingredients for another 5 minutes
6. Dish out and serve warm with steamed rice