Ong choy is water spinach, also known as swamp cabbage, swamp spinach or water convolvulus, these names derived from the fact that it is cultivated in water along the edges of ponds. Long, slender, hollow stems and arrowhead-shaped bright green leaves characterize this green vegetable prized in Asian cookery.

When buying ong choy look for larger leaves at the tip, indicating tenderness. Wash leaves and stems thoroughly and cut off the bottom 2 inches — this part is usually tough. Cut the remaining stems and leaves into bite-size lengths.

Like spinach, ong choy has a high water content so a large heap reduces to a small amount when cooked. Ong choy stems remain crunchy when cooked and the leaves become limp.

You can sauté ong choy in butter or olive oil; garlic and bacon are good seasonings. Stir-frying is best, especially with the addition of fish sauce, shrimp paste or fermented bean curd.

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Hawaii food writer Joan Namkoong offers a weekly tidbit on fresh seasonal products, many of them locally grown.