Stir Fried Morning Glory or Water Spinach
This stir fried morning glory or water spinach recipe makes the Cambodian dish char trokuon, which, in a comfortable home in a city, is generally eaten family-style as one element of a spread of dishes, centred around rice, that would typically include an appetiser or two, a soup or stew, perhaps a grilled fish or roast chicken, a salad, maybe a curry. In a more modest home in the countryside it might only be eaten with rice - which a way that we're very happy to eat it. While this is a typical Cambodian dish, you'll find variations on this Chinese-influenced dish all over Southeast Asia.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
- 1 kg morning glory (washed, cleaned and cut into stems)
- 1+1/2 tbsp garlic (chopped and crushed)
- 4 bird's eye chilies (sliced finely)
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 tbsp chilli oil
- 1 tbsp corn flour dissolved in 4 tbsp of cold water
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 300 ml chicken stock
- 2 tbsp fried garlic
- 1/4 cup long red chilies (julienned)
Instructions
- 1
In a stock pot, bring seasoned water to a boil and blanch the morning glory for 30 seconds.
- 2
Transfer to an ice bath and when cold, strain in a colander.
- 3
Place a wok on medium high heat, then turn the wok off add a tbsp of oil. Swirl the oil around to coat the surface of the wok. Turn the heat back on to medium-high and sauté the sliced bird's eye chilies. Add the garlic and 30 seconds later, add the blanched morning glory and keep stir-frying.
- 4
Season the morning glory with soy and oyster sauces and add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock. Once boiling, add the corn flour mixture to the stock. Reduce a little and then add the chilli oil. Take off the heat and mix in the sesame oil.
- 5
Place the morning glory on a platter and sprinkle with fried garlic and the julienned red chilies.