Rau muong xao chao is at its best when the stems still snap and the salty, rich chao sauce coats every piece. The difficulty is stir frying fast enough that the greens do not release water and darken.
The chao is mashed smooth with 1 tablespoon of its brine into a thick sauce before it goes into the pan, which stops some pieces coming out salty and others bland. Three to five minutes in ice water before cooking keeps the greens crisp for longer.
This batch weighs about 591g, at roughly 77 calories per 100g.
Method
Pick over the water spinach, discard the tough ends and wilted leaves, and keep only the tips and tender stems. Soak in lightly salted water for 5 minutes, then break into lengths of about 6 to 7cm by hand so the stems stay intact.
Soak the washed greens in ice water for 3 to 5 minutes, then lift out and drain thoroughly, which keeps them crisp for longer.
Mash 2 to 3 cubes of chao in a bowl, add 1 tablespoon chao brine, 1/2 teaspoon kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and 1/2 teaspoon vegetarian seasoning powder, and mix into a thick sauce.
Heat a pan with 2 tablespoons cooking oil and fry 1 teaspoon minced garlic until fragrant.
Add the water spinach and stir fry over high heat, moving it constantly for 2 to 3 minutes until just tender.
Pour in the chao sauce, toss well, stir fry for another 2 minutes, adjust the seasoning and turn off the heat as soon as the greens are done.
Tips
Keep the heat high and the lid off, since trapped steam darkens the greens.
A few drops of lime juice in the bowl of chao soften its richness.
Mash the chao completely smooth before it goes in the pan, since lumps leave some bites salty and others bland.
Breaking the greens by hand leaves the stems less bruised, so less water comes out in the pan.
Drain the greens thoroughly before they go in, since water left on them steams the greens rather than frying them.
Need kOBE Monk Fruit Blend?
The recipe above is sweetened with kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, measured 1:1 like sugar. See the product page or send us a message.