Stir-fried Morning Glory / Pad Pak Boong Fai Dang

Serves 2 to 4 

Morning glory, sometimes called water spinach, is nutritious and easy to cook. It is a great side dish. I love it’s crunchiness so much that it’s been on my weekly menu at home. Good news is, you can now easily find it at Chinese or Asian supermarkets.

Ingredients 

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 

• 1 pound morning glory (water spinach), washed and trimmed 

• 1 clove garlic, smashed and finely chopped 

• 2 to 3 fresh long red Thai chilis, thinly sliced, or 1 regular Thai chile, smashed or to taste

• 2 tablespoon Thai miso  (Tao Jiaw), or to taste

• 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste

• ¼ cup water or Thai Chicken Stock 

Directions 

In a large sauté pan or work, heat the oil over very high heat. 

In a medium bowl, combine the morning glory, garlic, chilis, Thai miso, and sugar. Once the oil hits the smoking point, throw everything into the pan and sauté, stirring for about 1 minute, until the water spinach is slightly softened. Transfer to plates and serve. 

Note: While perhaps not for the novice chef, to make the most authentic red fire spinach, have a go at this (you’ll want to observe all sensible precautions for cooking with fire, making sure you have proper ventilation and a fire extinguisher at the ready).

In a sauté pan or work, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over very high heat. 

Fill a small ladle with a little more oil and hold it in one hand. In a medium bowl, combine the morning glory, garlic, chilis, Thai miso, and sugar, and hold the bowl with the other hand. Once the oil in the pan reaches the smoking point, very carefully add the water spinach mixture and the ladleful of oil into the pan at the same time. There will be a big fire!

Step back!

Once the initial flame dies down (this will happen right away), sauté, stirring until the water spinach is just wilted, for about 1 minute. Transfer to plates and serve.