Home Food & Receipts Garlic Stir-fried Water Spinach: A Chef’s Simple Trick for a Crispy Delight

Food & Receipts

Garlic Stir-fried Water Spinach: A Chef’s Simple Trick for a Crispy Delight

10 July, 2025

Stir-fried water spinach with garlic is a humble yet beloved dish among all diners for its crisp texture, fragrant aroma, and versatility with hot rice or savory dishes. However, not everyone knows the trick to stir-frying it to perfection, maintaining its vibrant green color, and preventing it from turning tough or blackening, all while ensuring the garlic is fragrant without burning.

Ingredients:

Water spinach: 1 bunch (opt for young, small-leaved, crisp stalks)
Garlic: 1 bulb (peel, crush, and finely chop)
Cooking oil, salt, seasoning powder
A dash of vinegar or lemon juice
Ice water (or a bowl of cold water)

Water Spinach Stir-fried with Garlic: Chef’s Tip for a Simple, Delicious Dish

Golden Tip: Blanch the Water Spinach in Salted Water with Lemon/Vinegar Before Stir-frying

This is the key technique to preserving the vibrant green color and crisp sweetness of the water spinach without turning black post-stir-frying. Here’s how:

Rinse the water spinach thoroughly, removing any old leaves and overly tough stalks.
Boil a pot of water and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt along with a teaspoon of vinegar or a few drops of lemon juice.
Quickly blanch the water spinach for about 30 seconds to a minute, removing it once it turns a vibrant green color.
Immediately plunge the blanched water spinach into ice-cold water to “shock” it, locking in its crispness and green color.

Chef’s Guide to Stir-frying Water Spinach with Garlic:

Heat up a wok or a large pan, add a dash of cooking oil, and sauté the chopped garlic. Keep the heat moderate to prevent the garlic from burning and turning bitter.
Add the blanched and drained water spinach to the wok, stir-frying swiftly over high heat to prevent excess moisture from forming.
Season with a pinch of salt and seasoning powder to taste. You can also add a dash of dark soy sauce if you prefer a richer flavor.

Stir-fry for approximately 1–2 minutes before turning off the heat. Overcooking will result in soft, discolored water spinach.

Final Product:

Water spinach retains its crisp texture and vibrant green color, free from toughness.
Garlic emits a delightful aroma without any hint of bitterness from burning.
The dish is simple yet mouthwatering and highly nutritious.

Add cooking oil to the hot wok, followed by the chopped garlic. Turn up the heat, toss in the water spinach, and stir swiftly, adding your preferred seasoning.

Extra Tips for Enhanced Flavor:

Include some chili peppers or ginger slices if you desire a spicier, more aromatic, and antibacterial dish.
In the absence of ice water, regular cold water can be used, although the effectiveness might be slightly diminished.

By employing this simple trick of blanching the water spinach in salted water with a touch of vinegar or lemon juice, you can elevate the familiar stir-fried water spinach with garlic into a restaurant-worthy dish. Impress your family and friends by incorporating this technique into your culinary repertoire starting today!