I steamed the greens because I was using a small nonstick frying pan rather than a wok, and that was the easiest way to get them cooked evenly without burning - it's harder to stir them in oil in a small space. I think you'd need a bit of water anyway, as they'd take longer than pak choi or chard. Likewise it's also easier to get the garlic to cook to the right colour (medium heat) as you can see it and make sure it hasn't got stuck on the bottom. I don't have too much of a problem with garlic burning when I cook stir-fries properly in the wok - if I've got a good surface and I keep the food moving well, it generally works out. I think (based on sharing a kitchen with a bunch of international students a few times) that a lot of stir-fried recipes need/tolerate more colour to the garlic than, say, Italian recipes in any case.

The rice doesn't take that long - less than 10 minutes on a high heat and five on a low heat, by which time it's steaming rather than boiling. I'm not claiming it's better than any other method, just that it seems to work for me. I don't cook risotto that often but sometimes it's just what I fancy, and I like having some rice around in case.