taiwanese stir-fried morning glory with garlic 蒜炒空心菜

This might just be the easiest morning glory recipe out there, ready in just 10 minutes. Also known as water spinach, or 空心菜 (kōng xīn cài) in Chinese, which in my biased opinion, is one of the top 3 leafy greens. The crunchy hollow stems are the best part, and it was one of the first vegetables I actually liked as a kid. My favorite way to enjoy it is stir-fried morning glory with garlic (蒜炒空心菜), a simple preparation common in both Taiwanese and Chinese cooking, as shown in this recipe.

Stir-frying in a well-seasoned wok over high heat infuses the dish with a delicious wok aroma known as the "breath of the wok" 鑊氣 huò qì (or "wok hay" in Cantonese). "Qì" or "hay" means "energy" or "life breath," and this smoky flavor is part of what makes stir-fried dishes like this one taste so good.

update notes: Originally published on September 26, 2020, I've updated this post and recipe on August 28, 2026, with clearer instructions and a few notes on how I tested the recipe to make sure it really captures the flavor of this dish from restaurants and food vendors in Taiwan. I've also added a quick look section to help you get to the information that matters most to you, along with my top tips as a professional chef and updated infographics on how to pick the best quality morning glory.

💭 what is morning glory (water spinach)?

Morning glory is also known as water spinach or 空心菜 (kōng xīn cài) in Chinese, which translates to "hollow heart vegetable," and ong choy in Cantonese. As you can see, it's named after its hollow, crunchy stems.

Other names include pak boong, kang kong, swamp cabbage, water convolvulus, and its scientific name Ipomoea aquatica, to name a few.

It has a mild flavor with a subtle hint of sweetness when cooked. The stems are both fun and satisfying to eat! The best part is that the leaves are tender but keep their texture fairly well when stir-fried, unlike baby spinach or baby bok choy.

I first tasted it when I was 8 years old, living in Taipei, Taiwan. It's also commonly used in China and many Southeast Asian countries (I also love how they cook it in Thailand, too).

nutrition and benefits

Like other dark leafy greens, morning glory is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, iron, and calcium, but that's not why I love it (even as a dietitian). The texture, flavor, and ease of cooking are what make me a huge fan.

📝 ingredient notes and substitutions

This is a simple recipe with minimal ingredients, though I do have a special note on the salt I use, and I'll show you how to pick the best quality morning glory below.

• morning glory / water spinach - if you're searching for this at a Taiwanese or Chinese grocery store, it's called kōng xīn cài (空心菜) in Mandarin, Chinese, or ong choy in Cantonese. Exploring more stir-fried vegetables? Also try my stir-fried pea shoots or other vegetable recipes listed below.
• fresh garlic - since this dish has minimal ingredients, fresh garlic works best to complement the light flavor of morning glory.
• neutral cooking oil - I use canola oil most often, or any other neutral-flavored oil with a higher smoke point will work. Other good options include peanut oil, grapeseed oil, or avocado oil.
• salt - I recommend Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt (*paid affiliate link) since it has a lower sodium level, making it easier to layer the seasoning without accidentally oversalting a dish. It's the same salt I've used in restaurants and professional kitchens. It can be found in some grocery stores. ✴️ If using sea salt, use half of the amount listed in the recipe.
• ground white pepper - optional, but highly recommended. With just a sprinkle, you won't notice the spice, but it'll add depth to this simply seasoned dish.

Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and quantities.

other asian vegetables you can stir-fry

Although no other vegetable quite compares to water spinach, plenty of Asian greens and vegetables can be cooked using this same cooking method and recipe:

• Yu choy 油菜 (yóu cài) or choy sum 菜心 (cài xīn)
• Taiwanese cabbage
• Chinese broccoli 芥蘭 (jiè lán)
• Sliced cucumber (use a variety like Japanese, Persian, or lemon cucumbers that have smaller seeds and a thinner peel)
• Taiwanese spinach (not baby spinach, which would wilt too much)
• Kale leaves, de-stemmed and roughly chopped
• Bok choy 白菜 (bái cài)(note: regular bok choy will have a better texture than baby bok choy)

🛒 where to buy

online

Most recently, I've been buying morning glory from Weee! (*affiliate link) since it's more consistently available and I've only gotten good-quality ones. Try white ong choy (*affiliate link) when it's available - the stems are often bigger and more tender.

farmers markets

It's sometimes available at farmers markets when in season (summertime), such as Yao Cheng Farm and Her Produce at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market. I used to frequent Thao Family Farm, but they only supply directly to restaurants now.

asian grocery stores

You can also find it in well-stocked Taiwanese, Chinese, Thai, or other Southeast Asian grocery stores, usually displayed in the refrigerated produce area.

The ones in the grocery stores are sometimes more fibrous and don't last as long in the fridge since they're not freshly picked, so I try to get it from the farmers market when I can.

👩🏻‍🌾 how to pick the best quality morning glory

With a simple dish like this one, where the vegetable is the star, the most important factor for recipe success is starting with quality ingredients. Here are three key characteristics to keep an eye out for when picking morning glory, as well as things to avoid when possible.

For even more useful information, you can check out my comprehensive guides to Asian vegetables, including my chef's guide to water spinach that I'll be publishing soon.

what to look for

1. smooth, green, hydrated leaves - Bright or dark green water spinach leaves show that it's fresh (avoid wilted or yellow leaves). Also look for smooth, paper-thin leaves, which show it's younger and will taste sweeter. A few small holes from insect bites are okay too, and don't necessarily mean lower quality.
2. hydrated ends - The bottom of the stems should look hydrated (not porous) and mostly green. Look for tender stems that crunch when you pinch them.
3. tender and pliable stems - The stems should be pliable as shown in the photo above (not stiff), and the most tender stems will snap easily when bent. That's how you know they're tender and not fibrous.

what to avoid

• thick, stiff stems - If the stems feel woody and don't bend at all, they're older and will need to be trimmed. Otherwise, they'll be tougher to eat.
• browned stem ends - Excessive browning at the ends is a sign the morning glory may have been sitting for a while and is starting to dry out. That said, some browning can be due to oxidation (exposure to air) and can still be okay as long as the stems are still pliable.
• wet or soggy leaves - The leaves can start to get soggy if stored with too much moisture trapped. Avoid any leaves that feel slimy or wet to the touch when buying.
• yellowing or wilted leaves - This is a sign the bunch may be on its way out. They may have less flavor, a loss of texture, and a loss of water-soluble nutrients such as vitamin C (I just couldn't stop by dietitian brain here) by this point.

wash and thoroughly dry

Allowing the vegetables to thoroughly dry before cooking is a key step to getting that restaurant-quality taste.

Wash the morning glory under cold water. If it's already cut, keep the stems separated from the leaves. I like to do this in a large mixing bowl or a clean, sanitized sink for larger quantities.

Fill the bowl with cold water so the greens are fully submerged, give them a swish, and let them sit for 10 seconds to allow any grit to sink to the bottom. Then, while holding the morning glory against the bowl, drain the water.

If you still see grit at the bottom of the bowl, rinse it out and repeat the process until the water runs clear. I usually do this for at least 3 rounds.

key step: Allow the washed morning glory to drain well in a colander so there's minimal excess water. Keep the stems separate from the leaves if they're on the thicker side.

stir-fry

Before you begin stir-frying, always have your ingredients ready nearby. This includes having the salt measured out or ready to scoop, too.

1. Heat a 14-inch seasoned wok (left photo) or 10.25-inch cast iron pan (right photo) over medium-high heat until hot and just starting to smoke (about 15 seconds for a wok, or 3 minutes for a cast iron pan).

Add 1 tablespoon of canola oil.

By the way, I love using this oil dispenser (*affiliate link) for stir-fries since it makes it easy to control how much oil you drizzle, and the spout is designed so oil doesn't drip down the container.

2. Slightly tilt the pan to evenly coat the cooking surface. You can tell the pan is hot and ready when you see ripples in the oil, as shown above.

3. Immediately add the sliced garlic (from 2 large cloves).

4. Stir for about 5 seconds until the garlic is fragrant. (*Keep stirring, flipping the garlic to prevent it from burning).

5. Add the morning glory stems and toss with a spatula. Add these in quickly to prevent the garlic from burning.

Increase the heat to high, and cook for 30 seconds, tossing continuously.

6. Add in the leaves and continue tossing with a spatula.

7. Season with ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (use half the amount if using sea salt or table salt).

Optional: Add a sprinkle of ground white pepper.

Stir-fry the contents in the pan by constantly flipping and moving the vegetables with your spatula to prevent burning.

8. Continue to toss the morning glory with your spatula. Stir-fry until the stems and leaves turn brighter green (about 2 minutes), then immediately turn off the heat.

visual cue: The left photo shows morning glory that still needs to cook a bit longer, and the right photo shows how it looks once it's turned brighter green and is done cooking.

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

🍱 what I serve this with

To make this into a meal, you can pair this morning glory recipe with:

• Taiwanese vegetable mei fun (stir-fried rice noodles)
• A quick stir-fry dish like sha cha chicken with white rice
• Chinese steamed fish
• A simple no-cook silken tofu recipe (vegetarian option)
• A comforting bowl of pork rib bitter melon soup, daikon pork rib soup, sesame oil chicken soup, or any other Asian soups
• End with fresh cut fruit, hobakjuk (Korean pumpkin porridge), mochi muffins, taro boba milk tea, or Taiwanese shaved ice!

meal prep ideas - I've been meal prepping with Taiwanese mei fun (rice noodles) or an easy soup for the week and adding in this morning glory recipe for a complete meal. It's perfect for an easy meal since I can finish cooking the veggies while the rice is reheating.

🍲 equipment

Note: Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means we do make a small profit from your purchases (your price is not affected by this commission). We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. If you click on an affiliate link, you consent to a cookie being placed on your browser for purposes of tracking commissions.

Using a wok, cast iron, or carbon steel pan will make all the difference for Asian leafy greens like this one. A well-seasoned and hot pan will give the water spinach that wok flavor.

• the wok I currently use (14-inch, flat bottom)
• an affordable cast iron pan I use when my wok isn't available
• fish spatula or wok spatula

❄️ storage & reheating

This dish is best served immediately after cooking.

fridge: Store raw and unwashed morning glory wrapped in either a large kitchen towel (*affiliate link), clean paper towels, or a cloth produce bag, then store it in your fridge's vegetable drawer. It's best not to store it in a plastic bag since the leaves will get mushy over time.

Fresh morning glory can last up to 5 days in the refrigerator, but the leaves will start to wilt after day 3. It'll still taste great though, once you liven them up with cold water. You'll know that it's gone bad if the stems or leaves become moist and soggy. Once cooked, store in a covered container for 1-2 days in the fridge.

prep ahead for easier weekday cooking - Prep your morning glory so they're ready to go! Pre-rinse, drain, dry it (make sure it's thoroughly dried!), and then cut it up and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. That way you can quickly grab it and add it to dishes in the next day or two.

prep-ahead: Cleaned, cut, and thoroughly dried morning glory can be stored with paper towels in a covered container or sealed produce bag for up to 1 day before cooking. Keep the stems separate from the leaves for the best stir-fry results.

reheat: Lightly steam for 30 seconds, or reheat in a microwave, covered, starting with 10-second intervals. It reheats quickly and can overcook easily if you're not careful.

💭 stir-fried morning glory recipe FAQs

🥬 more asian leafy green recipes

Here are more Taiwanese and East Asian leafy green vegetables to try.