No longer just a simple, rustic dish of the countryside, water spinach – a type of wild grass growing in the fields – has now become highly valued, elevated to the status of a delicacy found on the tables of upscale restaurants and eateries.
Some delicious dishes made from water chestnut include: stir-fried with shrimp, used as a filling for Vietnamese pancakes, mixed in chicken salad, frog salad, pickled, or simply used as a raw vegetable to dip in fish sauce or braised fish... all of which are delicious.
Peel off the outer, slightly alum-stained layer of the water chestnut, keeping only the pristine white inner shoots, cutting off any old, pale green sections. Each water chestnut stem may only yield a short, tender shoot of about 10cm, but don't be tempted to take too long, as it will lose its flavor.
Gently wash the water chestnut shoots, as they are very soft and easily broken. Place the water chestnut shoots in a basket and shake to drain thoroughly.
Boiled chicken is shredded into small, bite-sized pieces. Mix the shredded chicken with a mixture of vinegar, sugar, salt, and a little chili and minced garlic. Add the water spinach shoots just before serving. Because the stems are soft, water spinach absorbs the seasoning very quickly, so don't mix it for too long. Transfer the chicken and water spinach salad to a plate, sprinkle with chopped mint, coriander, and a little roasted peanuts. Serve with sweet and sour fish sauce.
Additionally, there's an even tastier way to make chicken salad with pickled water spinach: mix rice water with salt and sugar, add the water spinach, press it down tightly, and cover it overnight. The next day, the pickled water spinach will taste even better.
The chicken meat is chewy, sweet, and fragrant, while the water spinach shoots are simply sweet and unadulterated; the more you eat, the more addictive it becomes.
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