Sauteed pumkin branches/leaves or morning glory with garlic (Rau Bi Xao Toi or Rau Muong Xao Toi) Print E-mail

Fresh greens sautéed with garlic and a touch of fish sauce is a staple dish in any Vietnamese meal, with the Rau Muong, or fresh morning glory (sometimes called Chinese watercress or bind weed) and Rau Bi (pumpkin branches/leaves) being two of the most common. The greens can be blanched first to sauté in a flash, but you can also just sauté the vegetables directly. If you choose to do the later, it’s best to separate the stalks from the leaves, or at least the thicker stalks from the more tender parts and leaves, so you can start sautéing the thicker parts first, then add the other parts in later so they don’t become overcooked.

Ingredients

Big bunch
 pumpkin branches/leaves or morning glory (these cook way down much the same way that spinach does, so you should start with more than you think you need)
3-5 cloves
 garlic, sliced or crushed (this is not a science, use as much as you like)
1 Tbsp
 fish sauce
Salt to taste
Cooking oil

Preparation
Peel the pumpkin branches to use only tender parts. Break or cut into bite sized lengths. Wash it and blanch in boiling water for 10-20 seconds. Immediately remove greens and rinse in very cold water or dump them in an ice water bath (or they will continue to cook and become mushy). When cooled, squeeze water out and set aside. Note: Blanching takes a lot of time and effort so I generally only do this step ahead of time when I am cooking for guests and need to prepare dishes very quickly. Usually, I just sauté the green without blanching and it takes a bit longer to cook and a little attention to separating the thick and tender parts.

Heat cooking oil in a wok until shiny and almost smoking. Add garlic, then follow quickly with the greens and saute on high heat until bright green and slightly softened. Season with salt, pepper and fish sauce to taste.