Hollow Chinese Watercress

Hollow Chinese Watercress aka "Hollow Heart Vegetable"

This is, hands down, my favorite vegetable. It touched my lips, or so I first remember, when I was eight at my grandparent's home. I couldn't get it enough of it, leaving my grandparents bemused yet obliging to my obsession. Apparently, this vegetable grows everywhere and is considered a weed. Back then, it cost the equivalent of 2-3 cents/pound. If it were only so cheap in the U.S.

I never know what to call this vegetable in English. The direct translation is "hollow heart vegetable. " I have dubbed it "hollow Chinese watercress" because I think it sounds more elegant.  The watercress part is not quite accurate, because it doesn't have the same peppery flavor. It's a mild-tasting leafy green vegetable with the perfect mix of crunch (stems) and tenderness (leaves). A quick Google search told all! According to Wikipedia, this is "Ipomoea aquatica." And indeed, it has been officially designated a "noxious weed" by the USDA.  Another interesting fact: according to Chinese culture, individuals, especially the elderly, should consume the vegetable in minimal quantities, lest the person become hollow and empty inside. If that were the case, I'd be as hollow as the inside of a bamboo stalk.

The recipe...easy peasy:

Sauteed Hollow Chinese Watercress with Garlic

Ingredients
- Big bunch of hollow Chinese watercress.
- 4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped into 0.5 cm slices
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt to taste

1. Wash watercress well. Chop off about 1 inch from the stem ends and discard. Cut the stem portion into 1 inch pieces and the leafy portion into 2-3 inch pieces.
2. Add about 1 tablespoon of oil and the chopped garlic into a large non-stick pan. Then turn the heat to high. The trick is to add garlic to cold oil, allowing time for the oil to absorb all the garlicky flavor.
3. Once the pan is hot, add the watercress stems. Stir around for a minute.
4. Now add the watercress leaves. Continue sauteing until the leaves are wilted and the stems soft but still slightly crisp. This takes about 5-7 minutes, depending on how much heat your stovetop can produce. Mine is really weak, so I often have to add a bit of water and cover the veggies to get them soft. Salt to taste.

Here are some pictures to give you an idea of what it looks like throughout the cooking process:

Garlic. Yum.

Right after the leaves were added

Voila!