Ong Choi Aka Water Spinach With Oyster Sauce Recipe I Made It Ii

Ong Choi Aka Water Spinach With Oyster Sauce Recipe

Ladybug_MrsJ 5 years ago

Green Recipe Challenge

I enjoyed this "Ong Choi Aka Water Spinach With Oyster Sauce" recipe; however, it was quite salty despite the fact I added no salt (I'm guessing due to the brand of oyster sauce I used: Panda). I made mine with mustard greens instead of water spinach. I also had two pieces of rainbow trout, and I marinated one with the leftover sauce (for me) and one with peanut oil and 5-spice (for Mr. J.). The flavors combined in my basting brush, and by accident I discovered that this recipe with 5-spice makes a delicious sauce for rainbow trout under the broiler. I liked this recipe, and would certainly make it or a similar recipe again. We always get Chinese greens when we go for Dim Sum.

Mr. J. was in a grumpy mood, so I didn't get a chance to take a photo.

Ong Choi Aka Water Spinach With Oyster Sauce

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mommyluvs2cook 5 years ago said:

I have never heard of water spinach, so I too would have to substitute like you did. I wonder if regular spinach is close enough? Great that the flavors paired well with your trout, awesome find :-)

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Ladybug_MrsJ 5 years ago said:

Mommy - You know, I have a Chinese Canadian girlfriend, and I often eat the greens she introduced to me without knowing their names. When I buy them in Chinatown, they aren't necessarily labelled in English. I had never had mustard greens before (not readily available in my local market or I certainly would have tried them). I had bought the greens at a Thai grocery in Chinatown and was looking for a Thai recipe for them (as I am not certain that these mustard greens are similar to the ones commonly eaten in the USA): this "Chinese" Group Recipes recipe is essentially the same as a lot of "Thai" recipes, so that I could review it. I also wanted to test Oyster Sauce, which I had never bought before because it contains "Carmel Color" (I grew up on a farm and have a psychological aversion to eating fake food, I'm just less fanatic these days). I have cooked with vegetarian versions of oyster sauce that were really delicious but also not readily available in my local market.

With respect to your actual question :) , I do think you can use any green (except collards) in a "greens recipe," spinach included. The only thing that changes is the cooking time (depending on what green you use). I eat a ton of greens, so a green challenge for me would have to be something I never tried before.

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LindaLMT 5 years ago said:

What an interesting recipe MrsJ. I too have never heard of water spinach but then again I'm a newbie and amateur when it comes to cooking Asian cuisine. I looks good and I can see the recipe working with other leafier green vegetables.

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eastcoaster 5 years ago said:

Good morning MrsJ, i have never heard of water spinach either, but like Linda i am a amateur at Asian Cuisine. Thanks for all the information:))))

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Cosmicmother 5 years ago said:

It sounds like a nice recipe and I like that you can use any type of "greens". The one thing I miss terribly about living on the West Coast is all the fresh Asian markets-- They can also grow a lot of Asian vegetables on the West Coast because of the climate. I'm hard pressed to find anything fresh here, even the tiny Korean-Japanese market they have here hardly gets fresh veg., it's all bottled and pantry items. Lol!

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chuckieb 5 years ago said:

This looks really good Mrs J. and I love the idea or trout with it. A shame it was too salty. Which is your fave Dim Sum restaurant? We like Oriental Chu Shing (formerly known as the Fuliwah). I bet Chinese Broccoli would also work super well.

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Ladybug_MrsJ 5 years ago said:

Thanks ladies!

Chuckieb- We always go to the one on Dalhousie (Royal Thai & Palais Imperial Restaurant) because we can walk there. Also, it is open all day, so we can go at 2 in the afternoon. We like it! It has been more than 25 years since I went for Dim Sum in Chinatown (the Fuliwah and others). I used to have a lot of allergies (gluten being one of them), so Dim Sum was out of the question (2001 - 2016). I have been able to do the Dim Sum thing again for the last 2 years. I used to go to the Thai restaurant with my co-workers back in the day before the owner amalgamated both his Chinese and Thai restaurants. It is still the same staff, they just take orders for both Thai and Chinese.

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DIZ3 5 years ago said:

Very interesting, MrsJ! I've never heard of water spinach either. I can say with utmost certainty that I would not be able to find it in the stores around here. lol! Oyster sauce would make it salty. I find that most Asian sauces are high in sodium, even the reduce sodium sauces. I used to make Chinese and Korean dishes all of the time. Over the years, DH has gotten to where he can't stand the saltiness so I don't make a lot of Asian food these days.

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Ladybug_MrsJ 5 years ago said:

:)

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chuckieb 5 years ago said:

Yes, I've been to the Royal Thai & Palais Imperial restaurant MrsJ. Fun! I used to work in the Market a bit before I retired.

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Ladybug_MrsJ 5 years ago said:

:)

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