How to Cook Chinese Water Spinach
Water spinach grows vigorously and abundantly and cooks quickly, so you find it in numerous Chinese and Asian dishes, hot and cold. You simply have to toss a few handfuls of rinsed Chinese water spinach, or kingkang, into a soup or stir-fry in the last couple of minutes to cook it or saute it along with a few pungent or aromatic vegetables.
You can even add a touch of cream for a delicate creamed spinach. As long as you keep the dish light, you can’t go wrong.
Things You’ll Need
- Oil
- Red garlic
- Pepper flakes
- Ginger
- Shallots
- Kosher salt
- Onions
- Garlic
- Heavy cream
- Black pepper
- Nutmeg
- Steamer basket
Sauteed
Rinse water spinach under cool under clean of debris. If you have a lot of water spinach, place it in the sink and fill the sink with water. Wait about 5 minutes for the debris to fall to the bottom and drain.
Drain the spinach in a colander while the pan heats. Heat a scant amount of oil in a saute pan. Use medium heat.
Saute pungents, such as minced red garlic, pepper flakes, ginger and shallots, if desired. Add the water spinach to the pan.
Season Chinese water spinach lightly with kosher salt. Stir the spinach to coat it with the oil.
Saute the spinach until it cooks down, about 1 minute, and stir once more. Cook canned water spinach until heated through, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
Creamed
Rinse the spinach in a colander under cool running water. Bring a few cups of water or stock to simmer.
Simmer the spinach until wilted, about 1 minute, and then drain. Chop the water spinach and set it aside.
Sweat pungent and aromatic ingredients in butter until soft in a saucepan. Classic creamed spinach calls for onions and garlic, but you can use any you like or none at all.
Add enough heavy cream to coat the spinach liberally and cook over medium heat until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Season the spinach to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Finish with a few grates of nutmeg, if desired.
Steamed
Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan and place a steamer basket in it.
Add the spinach and cover.
Cook the water spinach until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season to taste in a bowl and serve.
