Here I call for mature spinach with a stem, but feel free to use baby spinach or any tender leafy greens such as yam leaves, watercress, bok choy, or Chinese broccoli (if you want to cook hearty, leafy greens, try my recipe for Ginger Kale with “Lobster” Sauce. Or, for much sturdier vegetables like cabbage, try my Hunan Hand-Torn Cabbage With Bacon and Chilis). There is one very important rule to adhere to for cooking stir-fried greens that I inherited from my dad: choose garlic or ginger, but never both. Using too many aromatics could risk muddling the flavor of this dish, so we pick one to stand out. You’ll also find the leaves will absorb more of the flavor from the cooking liquid than the stems, so mix your greens well to ensure well-balanced bites.
A note: To make sure everything goes smoothly, have all your ingredients prepped and measured before getting started. —Lucas Sin