stir-fried morning glory 蒜炒空心菜

Step 1

Cut the morning glory into 3-inch sections starting from the bottom (stem) end.

Step 2

Thoroughly rinse with cold tap water until the water runs clear, then drain in a colander. Allow the washed vegetables to drain well so there's minimal excess water. Otherwise, you won't get the "breadth of the wok" 鑊氣 flavor. See notes below on more fibrous stems.

Step 3

Heat a 12-inch seasoned wok or cast iron pan over medium-high heat until the pan is hot (about 15 seconds for a wok or 3 minutes for a cast iron pan).

Step 4

Add the canola oil, tilt the pan to evenly coat the cooking surface, and add in the sliced garlic. Stir for about 10 seconds until the garlic is fragrant and turn the heat to high right before adding the morning glory. If the stems are thicker than what’s shown in the photos above, you can cook the stems first for 1 minute, toss with a spatula, and then add the leaves.

Step 5

Stir-fry the contents in the pan by constantly flipping and moving the vegetables with your spatula to prevent burning. Season with salt and continue to toss the morning glory with your spatula. Stir-fry until the stems and leaves turn brighter green (about 5 minutes) and immediately turn off the heat.

Step 6

Transfer to a serving platter, top with flaky sea salt (optional), and serve hot.