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How to Cook Water Spinach

Water spinach, known as ong choy in Cantonese or kōngxīn cài (空心菜) in Mandarin, is a hollow-stemmed leafy green vegetable native to Asia. Here's how to prepare it.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 4
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh water spinach

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. With the water spinach still bunched, trim away the lower 1-2 inches of the stalks, unless it is very young and tender. Cut the water spinach into 3 inch lengths, including the stems.
  2. Soak the vegetables in a large basin of cold water to remove sand and dirt. Change the water 3 times, being sure to lift the vegetables out of the water each time to avoid agitating the grit that’s settled at the bottom of the basin. Drain thoroughly, shaking off any excess water. 
  3. Prepare using your favorite recipe: Stir-fried Chinese Water Spinach or Stir-fried Ong Choy with XO Sauce