Stir Fried Ong Choy -- aka Rau Muong (Asian Water Spinach)

In the Chinese culture, leafy greens, choy, is highly consumed and greatly appreciated. Perhaps the most widely known kind is "bok choy." Bok choy's presence in both Asian and non-Asian supermarkets gives it the most exposure to a variety of cultures. Bok choy may be the most popular kind, but it is certainly not the only kind. There are countless kinds of choy; some look a lot alike, some look vastly different. Some are stalky; some are stubby. I want to spotlight a more unfamiliar kind of choy outside of the Chinese/Asian culture: ong choy (aka rau muong in the Vietnamese culture). Ong choy is definitely one of my favorite kinds of choy. It is less bitter compared to its counterparts, which makes it an excellent candidate as an addition to various dishes, or as a side/dish on its own. When served on its own, my family and I enjoy stir frying it. It's easy to make, and tastes delicious. Here's the deal:

Base:    1 bunch of Ong Choy (found in most Chinese and Vietnamese supermarkets)

Flavor: 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
             salt and fish sauce to taste
             1-2 tbsp. rice cooking wine (white cooking wine)
             1-3 Thai Chili Peppers, sliced
             oil to stir fry
Heat:    Stir Fry

1. Cut off 1 inch from the ends of the choy stems
- Tip: to save time and energy, trim in a bundle and tackle the entire bunch in just one chop.

2. Seperate leaves from stems
- Absolutely not necessary, but highly recommended. The thick stems require a longer cooking time than the delicate leaves. Since I prefer my veggies tender, this is pretty much a necessary step for me.

- Tip: keep an eye out for browned and/or bitten areas and cut those off.

3. Soak, rinse, and dry
- To thoroughly clean choy, soak in water and change out the water 2-3 times.
- Tip: after soaking and rinsing, place content in a big colander to drip excess water.

4. Lightly brown garlic
- When oil & wok/pan is warm and ready, lightly brown garlic on medium heat.

5. Add stems
- On medium high - high heat, add stems and stir fry 1-1 1/2 minutes.
- Season lightly with salt.
- Add water if necessary (1 tbsp. throughout the stir fry process should be more than sufficient).

6. Add leaves
-  It will look like an ong choy mountain, but it will shrink into the smallest bunny slope as it cooks.
- Stir fry and rotate top and bottom parts for even cooking.

7. Flavor
- After choy reduces, add rice cooking wine.
- Also add salt and fish sauce to taste.
- Stir fry an addition 1-2 minutes, more or less depending on your desired level of tenderness.
- Add Thai Chili Pepper and stir to combine.

Ta da! Ready to serve. Tastes great with rice, and makes the perfect side dish to complement other Asian dishes. Or, you can always have it as the only dish with your meal.

* Notes: as always, I encourage you to change any part(s) of this recipe to reflect your personal preferences. I listed 1 - 3 Thai Chili Peppers so you can chose your level of spiciness. Fish sauce is very strong and pungent. I only add a splash of it for another dimension of flavor. You may omit it, or you may double it, all depending on your personal preferences. Enjoy and make sure you have fun in your kitchen!

Watch a demo of this recipe and join me in my kitchen where everything is served with love.

♥ Yen