Pad Pak Boong (Thai Morning Glory Stir-Fry Recipe)

Name: Pad Pak Boong (Thai Morning Glory Stir-Fry Recipe)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons oil; 4 cloves garlic (crushed); 3 chilies (crushed, to taste); 12 ounces morning glory (water spinach); 1 teaspoon soybean paste; 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce; 2 tablespoons oyster sauce; 1/2 tablespoon white sugar; 2 tablespoons water (if needed)

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Pad pak boong is everyone’s favorite Thai morning glory stir-fry recipe. This dish is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner, packed with healthy vegetables, and it’s low kcal yet filling and surprisingly flavorful!

Pad pak boong, Thai morning glory stir-fry, served with rice.

After making this, try one of my other popular stir-fried vegetable recipes: Thai vegetables stir-fry, vegetarian fried cabbage recipe, and Thai cabbage stir-fry with fish sauce.

What is pad pak boong

Pad pak boong, or Thai stir-fried morning glory, is a quick and healthy dish combining crisp greens with a savory and spicy stir-fry sauce. It’s typically prepared over high heat and its key ingredients are soybean paste, garlic, and chilies.

Pad means to stir-fry in Thai, and pak boong or phak bung is Thai for water spinach aka water morning glory.

Fai dang

Thai woman stir-frying over an open flame. — Stir-frying pad pak boong over an open flame.

In Thailand, we prepare this stir-fried vegetable dish over a blazing hot flame. We call it “pad pak boong fai dang” or ผัดผักบุ้ง, which translates to “stir-fried water spinach high heat”.

The heat’s cranked up to lock in those rich, bold flavors and to make sure the morning glory stays crunchy, not soggy.

With less than 5 minutes cooking time, this dish is your next favorite vegetable weeknight dinner. From prep to plate, it’s no more than 10 minutes, I swear.

Close-up of pad pak boong, glistening stir-fried morning glory with green stems and wilted leaves.

The secret is in making the pan smoking hot, then stir-frying until the morning glory is slightly wilted but still crisp.

Make sure to give this water morning glory stir-fry a try at your next visit to a Thai restaurant. It’s a street food you can’t miss!

What is morning glory

Morning glory is a leafy green vegetable commonly used in Asian cuisine. With its tender stems and vibrant leaves, it offers a unique, slightly earthy and sweet taste. It’s a healthy low-carb choice for stir-fries and vegetables.

Fresh morning glory spread out on a wooden cutting board.

Morning glory can be found at most Asian grocery stores and specialty food shops. In Asia, it can sometimes be found at local shops or food markets. Similar to spinach, it’s often sold in bunches.

Why try stir-fried morning glory

It’s a quick and easy Thai vegetables stir-fry: And whether you’re a home cook or a chef, this recipe is doable for both and delicious.

It has 3 key flavors of Thai cuisine: This Asian vegetable stir-fry is deliciously salty, sweet, and spicy, so good!

It’s made with simple ingredients: If you’re a fan of Thai food, you probably have most ingredients in your kitchen pantry already.

It’s healthy and low-carb: This morning glory stir-fry is nutrient-rich and perfect for those who like a light but fulfilling meal.

Ingredients

Ingredients can be sourced at Asian grocery stores and Asian markets.
The exact measurements are in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Morning glory – When stir-fried, the stems of morning glory (also known as water spinach) crisp up, and the leaves get tender and wilted. It’s a staple in many Thai food, from stir-fries to soups and even mookata (Thai BBQ).
Soybean paste – Soybean paste is a key ingredient for pad pak boong. It’s made from fermented soybeans, which brings a slightly nutty and sweet flavor profile.
Oyster sauce – I use oyster sauce in many of my Thai stir-fry recipes to add a salty and savory flavor.
White sugar – A bit of sugar is needed to balance out the heat and salty flavor.
Fish sauce – We use fish sauce to add umami and a salty flavor. If you don’t like the taste of it, you can skip it.
Chilies – If you’re a fan of spicy food like me, Thai chilies like bird’s eye chilies or Jinda chilies are the way to go. If you prefer it mild, you can use jalapeños or any other type of mild chili pepper.
Garlic – Thai cooking without garlic is a no-no!
Water (if needed)

Short recipe video

@hungryinthailand.com
Cooking pad pak boong over searing flames 🔥 #thaifood #thaicooking #vegetabledish
♬ รำตึงๆ – Djpaoremix

Cooking instructions

Step 1: Thoroughly wash the morning glory and cut it into 2 or 3 segments.

Top-down view of pounded chilies and garlic in a clay mortar on a wooden background.

Step 2: Roughly pound the garlic and chilies with a mortar and pestle.

Morning glory and stir-fry sauces gathered on one dish.

Step 3: Place all of your ingredients onto a single dish, sauces and seasonings included.

Stir-fried pad pak boong (morning glory) glistening in a rustic pan.

Step 4: Preheat a large wok or skillet on the stove over high heat. Once hot, add your oil, swirl your pan, and then add all ingredients at once. Stir-fry for about 1 minute, until the morning glory leaves are wilted yet crisp. If needed, add 2 tablespoons of water. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Kitchen tools

Cutting board and chef’s knife
Measuring spoons and cups
Wok pan or large skillet
Mortar and pestle
Spatula

Thai morning glory stir-fry tips

With a few tips and tricks, you can easily make this healthy Thai dish in your own kitchen.

Clean and chop the morning glory: Make sure the morning glory is cleaned thoroughly, then chop it into 2 or 3 chunks.

Don’t overcook the morning glory: Keep those stems crisp and leaves just wilted for the ideal texture.

Use a high smoke point oil: Avocado oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, and canola oil are good options.

Don’t overcrowd your pan: Stir-frying has to be done at high pace and over high heat. Overcrowding hinders the high-paced stir-fry style. Work in batches if needed.

Choose your cooking style: You can choose to sauté the garlic and chilies first, or toss in everything together, like I did. I cooked over a searing hot, open charcoal flame.

Stir-fry over high heat: The name of this dish is pad pak boong fai daeng, which means the pan has to get smoking hot before adding your oil and ingredients.

How to serve stir-fried Thai greens

Pad pak boong can be served on its own, with steamed jasmine rice, Thai sticky rice, or a healthier alternative like brown rice. It’s also great with other Thai food, like grilled pork (moo yang), Thai chicken wings, or a spicy som tum Thai (green papaya salad).

How to store Asian greens

To keep your morning glory fresh and crisp, let it cool down to room temperature and store it in an airtight container in your refrigerator. It’ll stay fresh for up to 3 days.

Reheating: Reheat your leftovers on the stove top over medium heat until crisp.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make this not spicy?

Yes, you can omit the chilies if you want. Alternatively, you can use mild chilies or even remove the seeds, which is where most of the heat is centered. You could even sub chilies with thin slices of bell peppers for kids.

What is stir-fried morning glory?

Stir-fried morning glory, also known as pad pak boong, is a popular Thai vegetable stir-fry with water spinach. The water spinach is stir-fried over high heat and flavored with ingredients like garlic, chilies, and soybean paste, giving it a salty, sweet, and spicy flavor.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

Many soybean pastes and oyster sauces contain wheat, so they’re not gluten-free. However, you can find gluten-free versions of the sauces for a gluten-free dish.

More Thai vegetable stir-fry recipes you’ll love

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