Morning glory over roaring flame — a stir-fry so theatrical one Thai town started throwing it through the air.
$13
Where it comes from
Pad pak boong fai daeng — morning glory, red flame — is named for the fire that leaps when the greens hit hot oil. In Phitsanulok it became literal street theater: the famous 'flying vegetable' vendors hurl flaming wokfuls across the street to a catcher balancing a plate. Under the show is a serious dish — hollow-stemmed greens that stay crisp, garlic, soybean paste and oyster sauce, cooked in seconds. We keep the fire in the kitchen; the flavor still flies.
Not sure how to judge a plate like this? Read our field guide to the best Thai food in Orange County — five signs of a real Thai kitchen, and what to order once you’re in one.
