Phat Pak Boong Fai Daeng — Morning Glory in Fire / ผัดผักบุ้งไฟแดง

Central Thai — morning glory stir-fry is a street food staple across Thailand, but the fai daeng technique is specifically associated with Bangkok Thai-Chinese restaurant wok cooking

Morning glory stir-fry with fire (fai daeng = red fire) refers specifically to the technique of stir-frying water spinach (pak boong, Ipomoea aquatica) in the highest possible wok heat, with yellow bean sauce (tao jiew), oyster sauce, garlic, and bird's eye chilli until the leaves are wilted but the stems retain crunch. The 'red fire' of the technique is the result of the oil catching the wok flame when the vegetables and sauce are tossed — the brief spectacular flare develops the characteristic smoky, slightly charred note that defines this dish. This wok-flame moment is what street cooks perform theatrically at Thai street restaurants.

The tao jiew-oyster sauce seasoning is the distinctly Chinese-Thai element of this dish — the fermented soybean note adds depth that plain fish sauce cannot provide, connecting this preparation to the Bangkok Chinese-Thai culinary lineage.