Rau Muong Xao Toi / Stir-Fried Water Spinach with Garlic
Growing up, vegetables were rarely something I got excited about, and like most kids, I would go out of my way to avoid them whenever I could. But there was always one dish that never needed convincing. Rau muong xao toi, or stir-fried water spinach with garlic! This simple dish was the rare vegetable I
- Prep time
- 5 min
- Cook time
- 5 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 bundle Water Spinach
- 2 Quarts Water, for blanching
- 1/2 tbsp Salt, for blanching
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 6 Garlic Cloves
- 1/2 tbsp Fish Sauce
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp MSG
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1
Prep the Rau Muong:
- 2
Separate the leaves from the stems. You can pick the leaves by hand or cut them with a knife to save time. They do not need to be perfect. The goal is to separate most of the leaves from the thicker stems so they can be blanched separately
- 3
Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Blanch the stems for 10 to 15 seconds, then add the leaves and blanch for 5 seconds more. Immediately transfer everything to an ice bath to stop the cooking and preserve the bright green color. Once cooled, squeeze out as much excess water as possible to prevent a watery stir-fry
- 4
Cook the Rau Muong Xao Toi:
- 5
Thinly slice the garlic into chips or mince if preferred
- 6
Heat a pan over medium-high heat with a splash of oil. Add the garlic and fry for 1 to 2 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant, being careful not to burn it
- 7
Add the prepared rau muong to the pan. Season with sugar, MSG, fish sauce, and black pepper. Toss quickly until evenly coated and heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes
- 8
Serve:
- 9
Transfer to a plate and serve immediately as part of a Vietnamese family-style meal with rice and other dishes. Enjoy!