Tumis Daun Pepaya Jepang: Sauteed Tree Spinach (Vegan)

Tumis daun pepaya Jepang, or sauteed tree spinach, is a dish of stir-fried leafy greens made using tree spinach, a vegetable that was introduced into Indonesian cuisine only in the late 90s.

📝 Ingredients

• 500 gr tree spinach
• 5 shallots, peeled, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled, thinly sliced
• 2 big red chillies, diagonally sliced
• 2 cm ginger, peeled, sliced
• 2 cm galangal, bruised
• 2 salam leaves
• 1 lemongrass, bruised, knotted
• 1 red tomatoes, chopped
• 5 bird’s eye chillies (optional)
• 2 tbsp sweet soy sauce
• Salt to taste
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 100 ml water

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Wash the leaves thoroughly and put the leaves in boiling water. Add some salt and boil it for around 20 minutes until tender.
2. 2When the leaves are done, cool and squeeze the water out as much as possible, and cut into smaller pieces. Set aside.
3. 3Heat the oil over medium flame, and sautee the shallots, garlic, big red chillies, ginger, galangal, salam leaves and lemongrass until fragrant (around 4 minutes).
4. 4Add the tomato, mix well.
5. 5Add the papaya leaves, stir the ingredients.
6. 6Add water, sweet soy sauce and salt. Cook for around 15 minutes until most of the liquid evaporates.
7. 75 minutes before the veggie is done, add the whole bird’s eye chillies.
8. 8Transfer the dish into a serving bowl.