Charred Water Spinach and Shrimp Paste Dip

Name: Charred Water Spinach and Shrimp Paste Dip
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 8 oz (225 g) water spinach (ong choy), rinsed and patted dry, cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) lengths; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) shrimp paste (mắm tôm); 4 (20 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons / 30 ml); 2 tablespoons (30 ml) neutral oil (vegetable or canola); ½ teaspoon (2½ g) sugar (optional); 1 teaspoon (5 ml) fish sauce (nước mắm) (optional); ¼ teaspoon (½ g) Thai bird's-eye chili or red chili flake, minced (fresh) or a pinch (dried) (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A vibrant, smoky Vietnamese-style dip made with charred water spinach and salty-umami shrimp paste, brightened by garlic and lime. The greens are blackened over high heat to intensify their flavor, then mixed with shrimp paste and finished with a squeeze of fresh citrus. Serve warm or at room temperature with crackers, vegetables, or toasted bread.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 12 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 27 min
Makes: About 1½ cups (360 ml)

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Steps

Before you start

Rinse the water spinach well and pat completely dry—excess moisture will prevent good charring
Have all ingredients prepped and within reach, as the charring step happens quickly
If using a gas stove, a wok or cast-iron skillet works best; an electric stove may require moving the pan on and off heat to maintain high temperature

1
Char the water spinach
- Heat the cast-iron skillet or wok over high heat until it is smoking, about 2 minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the oil.
- Once shimmering, add half of the water spinach in a single layer.
- Let it sit undisturbed for 1 minute so the leaves blacken on one side.
- Stir and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the stems are charred and wilted.
- Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and water spinach.
- The leaves should be deeply browned, almost black in spots, and quite soft.
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Ready when: Water spinach is deeply charred and wilted with blackened edges
Tip: Do not crowd the pan—charring in two batches ensures proper caramelization. A dry skillet or wok is essential for good char.
2
Cool and chop the greens
- Let the charred spinach cool for about 3 to 5 minutes on the plate.
- Once cooled enough to handle, roughly chop the cooked spinach into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces.
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Ready when: Spinach is cool enough to touch and chop
3
Mix the dip base
- In a small bowl, combine the shrimp paste, minced garlic, minced chili (if using), and sugar (if using).
- Stir until well blended.
- The mixture will be thick and fragrant.
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Ready when: Ingredients are evenly combined
Tip: If the shrimp paste is very dense, mix it with a fork first to break up any clumps.
4
Combine and season
- Add the chopped charred spinach to the shrimp paste mixture and fold together with a spoon until well combined.
- Add the lime juice and fish sauce (if using), then taste.
- Adjust the balance: add more lime for brightness, more shrimp paste for umami, or a pinch of sugar to mellow the salt if needed.
- The dip should taste bold and slightly funky from the shrimp paste, balanced by the char and citrus.
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Ready when: All ingredients are evenly distributed and flavors are balanced
Tip: Taste as you go—shrimp paste is salty and pungent, so you may not need additional fish sauce. Lime juice is your friend for balancing heat and salt.

Good to know

Tips

Shrimp paste has a strong, pungent smell when raw—this mellows dramatically once mixed with the charred spinach and lime. If you're unfamiliar with it, trust the recipe; the final dip smells much better than the paste alone.
Charring the greens is the key to flavor depth; don't skip high heat or rush this step. The blackened bits add sweetness and umami that balance the salty shrimp paste.
This dip is best served as part of a Vietnamese meal with fresh vegetables (cucumber, cabbage, lettuce), toasted bread, or crispy crackers for dipping.
For a lighter version, mix the charred spinach with just garlic and lime and skip the shrimp paste, but you'll lose the distinctive salty-funky character that makes this dip special.

Make ahead

The dip can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Flavors actually deepen after a day. Bring to room temperature before serving, or gently reheat in a small pan over low heat with a splash of water if it thickens too much.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature up to 2 hours. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Do not freeze. Reheat gently over low heat if desired before serving.

Substitutions

water spinach (ong choy), rinsed and patted dry → Regular spinach or bok choy. Water spinach has a subtle earthiness and hollow stems that char beautifully. Spinach or bok choy will work but lack the same texture; adjust charring time as regular spinach wilts faster.
shrimp paste (mắm tôm) → Anchovy paste (1 to 2 tablespoons / 15 to 30 ml) or miso paste (2 tablespoons / 30 g). Shrimp paste gives the authentic funky-umami flavor. Anchovy paste is closer in intensity; miso is milder but adds depth. Neither will taste quite the same.
lime → Lemon or white vinegar. Lime is traditional and offers brightness with a slight floral note. Lemon is sharper; use the same amount. Vinegar (1 to 2 teaspoons / 5 to 10 ml) works but tastes more aggressive.
Thai bird's-eye chili or red chili flake → Sriracha or sambal oelek (1 teaspoon / 5 ml) or omit entirely. The optional chili adds heat and complexity. Sriracha and sambal oelek bring garlic and other flavors along with heat; reduce other seasonings slightly if using.