This is one of my favorite Asian greens. As you can tell by the label, FuBonn classifies it as “Mong Toi”, though other cultures would most likely have other names for it.
Mong Toi has broad leaves with thin stems that feed into a thick, central stem. Steam or sauteed, the stem and greens become very tender. I would say it’s a nice cross between spinach and Chinese broccoli.
Like spinach or Chinese brocolli, it pairs extremely well when steamed or sauteed (or both) with garlic and seasoned with a thick, dark Asian sauce. That’s exactly what I did in this instance. After cutting off the very 1/4 inch stub ends of the greens and rinsing them, heat up a large wok and briefly sautee a couple minced cloves of garlic in a tablespoon of peanut or vegetable oil.
Add the greens, and sautee, until they start to become slightly wilted.
Drizzle with a Lee Kum Kee sauce, such as oyster, “vegetarian stir fry”, hoisin, or a Korean fermented soybean paste (I use “Wang” brand). It just so happens that I keep a squirt bottle on handle with equal parts of ALL THE ABOVE for instances just like this. Imagine the fortuitous serendipity, if you can.
Finally, hit with some cracked pepper and a squirt of sesame oil and enjoy.
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December 21st, 2006 at 12:28 pm
Kelly
Lee Kum Kee invented oyster sauce in Nan Shui, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province in 1888.
December 21st, 2006 at 12:30 pm
Kelly
From Wikipedia:
“It has been introduced to the English-speaking world under many different names, including Malabar spinach, Malabar climbing spinach, Ceylon spinach, Indian spinach, East-Indian spinach, Surinam spinach, Chinese spinach, Malabar nightshade, broad bologi, vine spinach, Vietnamese spinach, buffalo spinach, Bengali “PUI SAAG”. The vegetable is also used in Chinese cuisine, where its many names include “flowing water vegetable” (潺菜, Mandarin chāncài, Cantonese saan choy, shan tsoi), “fallen hollyhock” (落葵 Mandarin luokui, Cantonese lor kwai), “wood ear vegetable” (木耳菜 muercai) and “emperor vegetable” (帝王菜 diwangcai).”
So there is a “wood ear vegetable” AND a “wood ear fungus”, hmm. Dou miao and ung choy/kong xin cai are still my favorite greens though. Sauteeing with garlic and then maybe some sesame oil to finish is the best.