Water Spinach

Sporting other names like “morning glory,” “hollow heart spinach,” “ong choy,” and “Kangkong,” this very popular green grows in shallow water all around Southeast Asia. When consumed raw, it’s frequently shaved into fine threads with a razor blade. In this form, it’s often included as part of a table salad. I feel that the best way to cut it is to deconstruct it into pieces with one inch of stem and a whole leaf. Shrimp paste, garlic, and chilies pair well with the earthy flavor of this vegetable in Malaysian stir-fried water spinach with garlic. Thai: pahk boong; Malay: kangkung; Vietnamese: rau muống