Sautéed Morning Glory
炒空心菜 (Chao Kong Xin Cai)
Morning glory, also known as water spinach or Chinese watercress, [1] is a semi-aquatic plant commonly found near rivers and other waterways in Southeast Asia. It grows readily in moist soil or just water, flourishing with little human care. [2] For this reason, it is used extensively as a vegetable in almost every Southeast Asian country, particularly in rural areas where it can be easily harvested from rivers and canals. Stir-fried morning glory dishes come in an enormous variety of local styles, but today we will be preparing a simple Taiwanese version, morning glory stir-fried with garlic.
Ingredients
½ lb morning glory leaves
3 cloves garlic, minced
Vegetable oil
Salt to taste
We begin by washing the morning glory. Because the vegetable grows in muddy or sandy soil, it often picks up quite a bit of dirt in its leaves and has to be thoroughly washed. Use a big basin of water, rinse the leaves thoroughly, and let the morning glory float in it for 5 to 10 minutes, letting the sand and dirt sink to the bottom.
Once washed, chop the morning glory leaves into about 4 inch lengths. We will reserve the stalks for another dish, but if you wish to include them in this stir-fry, simply chop them into 1 inch lengths, discarding the tough stem ends.
In a large skillet, heat about a tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the minced garlic and fry until it is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then add the chopped morning glory to the pan and cover for about a minute. The leaves will release water quickly, and the steam will help to wilt the leaves. We don’t want too much steam to build up, as that would leave us with a watery dish. After a minute, uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leaves have wilted and the stems are tender. This should take about 4 minutes. Salt to taste, remove from the heat, and serve.
Substitutions
To make some regional variations on this stir-fry, simply switch up the aromatics and sauces you add (usually in addition to the garlic). In Singapore and Malaysia, morning glory is most often stir-fried with chili, ginger, and shrimp paste. Thai versions will use chili, shallots, and fish sauce, and Filipino versions include rice vinegar and soy sauce. Sichuan and Cantonese versions of this dish will often include fermented bean curd.
[1] This vegetable (scientific name Ipomoea aquatica) is a member of the morning glory family, hence the name. When it blooms, it produces white flowers. Its Chinese name is 空心菜, literally “hollow heart vegetable,” in reference to its hollow stems.
[2] Morning glory grows so well that in most US states, it is classified as a noxious weed. Unfortunately, this makes it a difficult vegetable to find in many parts of the country.
Recipe
Prep Time: 5 min Cook Time: 5 min Total Time: 10 min
Difficulty: 1/5
Heat Sources: 1 burner
Equipment: skillet or wok
Servings: 4
Ingredients
½ lb morning glory leaves
3 cloves garlic, minced
Vegetable oil
Salt to taste
Instructions
1. Wash and chop the morning glory leaves into 4 inch lengths.
2. Heat about 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil comes up to temperature, add the minced garlic and fry until fragrant, approximately 30 seconds.
3. Add the morning glory leaves to the pan and cover for 1 minute.
4. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted and tender, about 4 minutes.
5. Salt to taste and serve.
