Water spinach is a beloved dish among many. When ordered at a restaurant, we often enjoy its crisp texture and fragrant flavor. To learn how to stir-fry it like a chef, let’s explore the following tips.
Water Spinach: A Favorite Dish for Many
Blanch the vegetable before stir-frying
Prior to stir-frying, blanch the water spinach by dipping it into boiling water briefly and then transferring it to a wok or pan. This method ensures that the vegetable only needs a very short time to cook during stir-frying, resulting in a tender yet crisp texture while retaining its vibrant green color. If you stir-fry without blanching, it will take longer, and you risk overcooking the vegetable, turning it yellow.
Add a pinch of salt to the blanching water
When blanching the water spinach, add a pinch of salt or a few drops of cooking oil to the water. This simple trick will enhance the green color of the vegetable, making it look more vibrant and appetizing.
Stir-fry with a large flame and act quickly
Since the vegetable is partially cooked from blanching, stir-frying needs to be done swiftly over a large flame. This ensures that the water spinach absorbs the flavors of the seasoning while remaining fresh and green.
Turn on the stove to high heat, add oil and sautéed garlic to the wok, and then quickly stir-fry the water spinach. You can start with the stems and then add the leaves and tips last so that everything cooks evenly and looks aesthetically pleasing.
Stir-Frying Water Spinach: A Quick and Fiery Process
Do not cover the wok during stir-frying
It is important not to cover the wok when blanching or stir-frying water spinach. Covering the wok will cause the vegetable to turn yellow and lose its vibrant green color. It will also make the flavor too intense and unpleasant.
Rinse the blanched water spinach in cold water
After blanching the water spinach, immediately plunge it into a bowl of ice-cold water to rapidly cool it down. Otherwise, the residual heat will continue to cook the vegetable, causing it to lose its desirable crispness and vibrant green color.
Stir-fry an appropriate amount of water spinach for your wok size
Whether you have a large or small wok, adjust the amount of water spinach accordingly. Stir-frying too much at once will make it challenging to toss and mix the ingredients evenly, resulting in uneven cooking.
Additionally, if you are stir-frying water spinach with meat, shrimp, or other ingredients, cook the meat first. Then, add the water spinach and stir-fry until it is just cooked. Finally, toss in the pre-cooked meat and season to taste.
Preserve the crispness of pickled turnips using this special brine
Winter is the season when turnips take the spotlight. Here’s a simple way to ensure a delicious and crunchy plate of golden turnips, without any discoloration.
Boiling water spinach without blanching it first is wrong: Put this ingredient in before the vegetables to keep it fresh and crisp, without worrying about turning black.
blanching it first is wrong: Put this ingredient in before the vegetables to keep it fresh and crisp, without worrying about turning black.’>To ensure that your morning glory remains fresh, crunchy, and flavorful, there are a few tricks you can try.
Don’t just boil it, this steamed chicken with salt will have a golden and fragrant color, and is doubly nutritious with its sweet and savory taste
With just a simple ingredient readily available in your kitchen, you can create a delicious and fragrant steamed salt chicken.
vibrant and fresh’>Blanching is the key to keep green vegetables vibrant and fresh
Not only does this trick retain the vibrant green color of stir-fried vegetables, but it also enhances their crunchiness and flavor.
