JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<link rel="stylesheet" href="http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.8.5/themes/cupertino/jquery-ui.css">
<ul id="list">
    <li>one</li>
    <li>two</li>
    <li>three</li>
</ul>

JavaScript

$('#list li').click( function() {
    if(!$(this).data('dialog')) {
        var dialog = $('<div>').html($(this).html()).dialog({ autoOpen:true });
        $(this).data('dialog', dialog);
    }
    
    $(this).data('dialog').dialog('open');
});