How Many Calories in Kangkung Belacan?

Water spinach stir fried with shrimp paste and chilli. Healthy vegetable, cooked in a surprising amount of oil.

190kcal / 1 plate

A plate of kangkung belacan is around 190 calories. The kangkung itself is almost nothing. Nearly all the calories come from the oil it is stir fried in, which is more than most people expect for a vegetable dish.

Nutrition facts

Per 1 plate (200g)	Amount	Per 100g
Calories	190 kcal	95 kcal
Protein	5 g	3 g
Carbs	12 g	6 g
Fat	14 g	7 g

Where the calories come from

Kangkung (water spinach)170g

35 kcal

Cooking oil15g

130 kcal

Belacan + garlic + chilli15g

25 kcal

The real talk

People order kangkung belacan thinking they are being healthy because it is a vegetable. And the kangkung itself is basically free, maybe 30 calories for the whole plate. But watch how they cook it. That kangkung goes into a wok with a generous glug of oil to fry the belacan and garlic, and it soaks a lot of it up. That is how a plate of greens ends up at 190 calories with 14g of fat.

Do not get me wrong, this is still a good order. You are getting actual vegetables and fibre, which most hawker meals are missing. Just know it is not the zero calorie health halo people assume. It is a vegetable cooked in oil, and the oil counts.

How the portions compare

110 kcal

Less oil version

190 kcal

Standard plate

250 kcal

Restaurant portion

How to eat it lighter

Ask for less oil (kurang minyak). The oil is the whole calorie story here.
Pair it with a lean protein and rice for a balanced plate, it works great as the veg side.
Still a smart order. Just do not assume vegetable means zero calories.

Common questions

How many calories in kangkung belacan?

About 190 calories a plate. The vegetable is only around 35 of that. The rest is the oil it is stir fried in.

Is kangkung belacan healthy?

It is one of the better hawker orders because you get real vegetables and fibre. Just know it is cooked in a fair bit of oil, so it is not calorie free. Ask for less oil to keep it light.

Why is a vegetable dish this high in calories?

The kangkung soaks up the oil used to fry the belacan and garlic. The greens are almost nothing, the oil is where the 190 calories come from.

Calorie and macro figures are estimates for a typical hawker or kopitiam serving. Actual numbers vary by stall, recipe and portion size. Use them as a guide, not gospel.

New to all this? Read how I went from 128kg to 86kg without cutting rice →