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1
Set a wok over the highest available heat until it begins to smoke lightly, so the metal reaches a temperature that will sear rather than stew what goes into it. Add the oil and allow it to come to full temperature — the surface should shimmer and move fluidly across the wok.
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2
Add the kapi to the hot oil — this is where the dish lives or dies: the paste must sizzle vigorously and immediately, not steam and not sit inert, so its raw fermented edge is driven off and replaced by a roasted, fragrant depth that carries through the whole dish. Fry the paste, pressing and spreading it against the wok surface, for 30–45 seconds. It is done when it has darkened to a deeper, more uniform colour, smells of the sea with a distinct roasted quality, and the surrounding oil smells fragrant and complex rather than raw and fermented.
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3
Add the morning glory stems first and toss immediately so the paste-infused oil coats every piece before the leaves go in, giving the denser stems a head start so nothing is either raw or overcooked when the dish is done. After 20–30 seconds, add the leaves and stir-fry over sustained high heat. The dish is ready when the leaves are just wilted but the stems retain a firm bite — a light crunch when pressed between finger and thumb.
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4
Remove from heat and taste before adding any fish sauce, because the kapi will have concentrated in salinity during frying and the dish may need nothing at all. Adjust with fish sauce only as required. The finished dish should be savoury, fragrant with roasted-fermented depth, and carry no raw paste note.