Home-styleEasy 15 min serves 2 Vegetarian-ok Vegan Gluten-free

Garlic Stir-Fried Water Spinach

Name: Garlic Stir-Fried Water Spinach
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Home-style
Ingredients: water spinach (whole, stems and leaves); garlic; peanut oil or vegetable oil; fine sea salt

蒜蓉炒通菜 · suàn róng chǎo tōng cài

家庭快手版 · Home version: Family version uses minimal oil and no oyster sauce—just garlic, salt, and high heat for clean, grassy flavor. Restaurant versions often add oyster sauce or MSG.

My aunt in Foshan cooked this every summer evening after picking fresh water spinach from her rooftop garden—she’d shout ‘Tong cai is ready when the stems snap like celery!’ before tossing it into the wok with a sizzle.

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29

Quick & Easy Vegetarian

Ingredients

water spinach (whole, stems and leaves)通菜（空心菜，带茎叶）🛒 local300 g
garlic大蒜🛒 local4 cloves (16 g)
peanut oil or vegetable oil花生油或植物油🛒 local15 ml
fine sea salt细海盐🛒 local2 g

water spinach (whole, stems and leaves): Look for crisp, deep green stems with no brown spots; substitute Swiss chard stems + baby bok choy leaves if unavailable.

garlic: Use fresh, firm cloves; pre-minced garlic lacks punch.

peanut oil or vegetable oil: Peanut oil preferred for authentic nutty aroma.

fine sea salt: Do not substitute table salt—it’s too sharp; kosher salt works at 1.5× volume.

🌶️ Adjust to your taste

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Instructions

1Wash water spinach thoroughly under cold running water; shake off excess water but do not dry completely—surface moisture helps steam-sear the stems.
洗净不擦干
2Trim tough ends (about 2 cm) and cut into 5-cm lengths on diagonal; separate thicker stems from tender leaves.
茎叶分放
3Mince garlic finely—do not use a press, as it releases too much juice and burns easily.
蒜末勿压汁
4Heat wok over high heat until smoking lightly; add oil and swirl to coat. When oil shimmers and just begins to ripple, add garlic.
热锅热油下蒜
🔍 Look for High heat 15–20 秒 · 15–20 seconds
Visual: 油面泛起细密、快速波动的纹路Oil surface shimmers with fine, rapid ripples
You know it's right when: 锅心腾起一缕淡青色轻烟A light wisp of smoke rises from wok center
5Stir-fry garlic 10 seconds until fragrant but not browned; immediately add thick stems and stir-fry 1 minute until edges turn translucent.
蒜香即下茎
🔍 Look for High heat 1 分钟 · 1 minute
Visual: 茎边缘褪去青白，泛出浅浅玻璃感Stem edges lose opacity, turning faintly glassy
You know it's right when: 散发清鲜菜香，无焦苦或酸馊气Stems emit a clean, vegetal scent—not burnt or sour
6Add leaves and remaining salt; toss continuously 30–45 seconds until leaves wilt and darken slightly but remain vibrant green.
叶蔫色亮即出锅
🔍 Look for High heat 30–45 秒 · 30–45 seconds
Visual: 叶片微塌，却仍泛油润翠绿色泽Leaves collapse slightly but retain glossy, emerald-green sheen
You know it's right when: 升腾微甜蒸汽，无焦呛或烟熏气A faint, sweet steam rises—not acrid or smoky

Tips

· Always stir-fry water spinach in batches if your wok is small—overcrowding steams instead of sears.
· Blanching is unnecessary and dulls flavor; high heat alone ensures tenderness.
· Serve immediately—the texture softens within 90 seconds off heat.

Sources & references

Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.

Read our editorial policy
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records

Common questions

Can I reduce the salt/soy in this recipe?

Yes — soy sauce is the main sodium source. Use light soy at 2/3 amount and finish with salt only to taste. Rinse canned/doubanjiang components if possible. Note: reducing soy also reduces color; a drop of dark soy or a pinch of sugar can restore depth without salt.

Source: HǎoWèi diet guide

Why do you cook the aromatics (garlic/ginger) first on low heat?

Aromatics contain oils and sugars that turn bitter if scorched. Gentle heat (low-medium) lets garlic and ginger release their fragrance without browning too fast. If the pan is too hot, garlic goes bitter within seconds — that's why we always add aromatics first, before the main ingredients.

Source: Chinese Cooking Demystified technique library

Is there a vegan substitute for oyster sauce?

Yes — 'mushroom oyster sauce' (often labeled vegetarian/vegan) is sold in most Asian grocers and increasingly in mainstream supermarkets. It behaves 1:1 and adds the same glossy umami. Watch labels if you're also gluten-free; most brands are GF, some aren't.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine