Thai morning glory stir-fry (pad pak boong fai daeng): The story and the recipe

Thai Morning Glory Stir-Fry (Pad Pak Boong Fai Daeng) is one of the most popular and affordable Thai dishes, prepared with fresh morning glory (water spinach), garlic, chillies, oyster sauce and salted soybeans.

Morning Glory, known in Thai as Pak Boong, is often described as a miracle plant. It grows incredibly fast, both in soil and in water, and is widely cultivated through hydroponics or aquaponics. From seed to harvest takes only a few weeks, often less than a month. Once harvested, it can be cut back again and again, producing multiple crops. At Thai markets, Morning Glory is usually sold with its roots still attached, not because they are eaten, but because this allows the bundles to stay fresh longer. This abundance explains the very low price: for just 10 baht, you can buy a large bunch, enough to make a generous side dish for two people.

When harvested young, at around 30–40 cm in length, the stems are tender and the leaves supple. This is when Morning Glory is perfect for stir-frying. Left to grow taller, the stalks become hollow and fibrous, the leaves broader, still edible, but better suited for soups and curries than for a quick stir-fry.

Thai morning glory stir-fry (Pad Pak Boong Fai Daeng)

“Fai Daeng” means “red fire,” referring to the very hot flame used to flash-fry the vegetable. The dish is found everywhere in Thailand, from street stalls to family restaurants. Quick, flavourful, and affordable, it is one of the most popular accompaniments on the Thai table.

Ingredients (serves 2):

• 300 g morning glory, cut into 6 cm lengths

• 2 fresh bird’s eye chilies, lightly crushed (not chopped)

• 20 g garlic, roughly crushed

• 2 tablespoons oil

• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce

• 1 tablespoon salted soybeans (fermented soybeans in brine)

• 1 teaspoon coconut sugar

• 4 tablespoons chicken stock (or water)

Preparation:

1. Wash the morning glory and cut it into 6 cm pieces.

2. Crush the garlic and chilies with the flat of a knife; do not slice them finely. The goal is not to make the dish hot, but to perfume it.

3. Heat oil in a wok over very high heat. Add garlic and chilies and fry briefly until fragrant.

4. Immediately add the morning glory, salted soybeans, oyster sauce, coconut sugar, and stock.

5. Stir-fry quickly, no more than 1–2 minutes, so the stems remain crisp and the leaves just wilted.

6. Serve at once as a side dish or with plain steamed rice.

Variation: 

To turn this into a more complete meal, add one tablespoon of dried shrimp and two tablespoons of minced pork while stir-frying.

What makes this dish unique

Most Thai stir-fried vegetables are seasoned with oyster sauce and light soy sauce. Pad Pak Boong Fai Daeng is different. Instead of light soy sauce, it uses salted soybeans, a fermented ingredient that gives depth and a distinctive flavour. This is what sets Morning Glory stir-fry apart from other vegetable dishes.

The use of chilies is also special. They are not meant to make the dish fiery hot. They are simply crushed and tossed whole into the wok, infusing flavour without overwhelming heat.

Learn more Thai stir-fry recipes

Want to master more quick Thai stir-fries? Explore our ebook “Wok Stir-Fried Dishes”, with 40 authentic recipes ready in minutes. From seafood to vegetables, it will teach you the secrets of balancing flavours in Thai stir-fries.