Southern Chinese / Southeast Asian Chinese Recipe
Water Spinach with Garlic or Fermented Bean Curd
Water spinach is quickly stir-fried with garlic, fermented bean curd, shrimp paste, or light seasoning depending on regional style.
Recipe at a glance
| Purpose | Menu-derived Chinese restaurant recipe family |
| Cuisine or format | Southern Chinese / Southeast Asian Chinese |
| Consolidation rule | Closely related menu names are treated as one recipe family when the sauce, technique, or format is the same. |
Ingredients
- 1 lb water spinach, cut into lengths
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 cube fermented bean curd or 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- Fresh chile, optional
- Splash of water or stock
- Sugar, optional
Method
- Wash water spinach well and drain.
- Heat wok until very hot.
- Fry garlic and chile briefly.
- Add water spinach and toss quickly.
- Add fermented bean curd or soy sauce and a splash of water.
- Cook just until wilted.
- Serve immediately.
Variations and substitutions
- Adjust the protein or vegetable only when the core technique and sauce remain recognizable.
- For allergies or religious dietary needs, check sauces, broth, wrappers, cooking wine, and shared wok or fryer use.
- For restaurant-style versions, texture matters as much as flavor: noodles should not be mushy, fried items should not be soggy, and broths should remain clear unless the dish calls for thickness.