In this Thai stir-fry, water spinach spends just a few minutes in a hot wok. The leaves wilt slightly, the stems stay crisp, and garlic, chili and oyster sauce bring a savory kick. Serve straight away as a side dish with rice and a Thai curry.
Pad pak bung fai daeng is a Thai stir-fry made with water spinach, also known as morning glory. This vegetable is different from regular spinach: its long, hollow stems stay firm when briefly stir-fried, while the leaves wilt quickly. Garlic and chili add fragrance and heat; soy sauce and oyster sauce bring a salty, savory flavor. The dish is meant to be served as a vegetable side and goes well with rice and other dishes, such as a Thai curry.
The technique makes all the difference here. A well-heated wok or large frying pan cooks the vegetable quickly, so it doesn’t spend too long cooking in its own liquid. Get all the ingredients ready before you start: over high heat, there’s little time to chop or mix a sauce. Briefly fry the garlic, without letting it turn dark brown, then add the vegetable straight away. The stems can go into the pan a little before the leaves; that way, they cook through but keep their bite.
Wash the water spinach thoroughly, especially around the ends of the stems, and drain it well. Excess water cools the pan and makes it harder to stir-fry the vegetable instead of stewing it. Cut the stems and leaves into pieces that are easy to transfer from the pan to a plate. Water spinach is often available at Asian grocery stores. If you can’t find it, it’s better to leave it out than to use regular spinach as an equivalent substitute: regular spinach doesn’t have firm, hollow stems and cooks much faster.
The sauce is deliberately simple. Oyster sauce adds depth and a lightly sweet-savory note; soy sauce brings salt and umami. A splash of water makes the mixture easier to distribute without leaving a pool of sauce. Since soy sauce and oyster sauce are already salty, you usually don’t need extra salt. Adjust the amount of chili to the pepper you’re using and how much heat you want alongside the rest of the meal.
Transfer the stir-fry to a platter as soon as the leaves have just wilted, and serve it straight away. The fresh, crisp bite fades if the vegetable sits for too long, so make it just before serving. It makes a pleasant contrast to rice and a richer curry, but can also be served alongside other Thai stir-fries. Keep the portions modest if you’re serving several dishes: the vegetable is an accompaniment, not a main course.
Wash the water spinach thoroughly and drain well. Cut the stems and leaves into pieces about 8 cm long. Finely chop the garlic and slice the chili pepper into thin rings.
Stir the soy sauce, oyster sauce and water together in a small bowl. Set it by the stove with the chopped vegetables.
Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Fry the garlic and chili pepper for 10–15 seconds, until fragrant; don’t let the garlic brown.
Add the water spinach stems and stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Add the leaves and sauce mixture, and toss everything vigorously for another 1–2 minutes, until the leaves have just wilted and the stems are still crisp.
Transfer straight to a platter and serve as a side dish, for example with rice and Thai curry.
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