Chives have such a strong, amazing flavor and texture. Garlicky, crunchy, and refreshing, my favorite way to enjoy this vegetable is with Chinese scramble-fried eggs. One form of that combination is “chive boxes,” or jiu cai he zi. Chive boxes are technically classified as a type of pan-fried dumpling, except they’re so large that you have to make your own wrapper, because no store sells wrappers that large. It is for that reason that I can only make these with my parents, since I don’t have the skills to do it by myself yet.
That’s why when my parents told me they were going to visit me in Australia, I requested that we made jiu cai he zi together. When they flew in, they packed our rolling pin in the suitcase, all the way from our kitchen back home. That’s how essential the rolling pin is.
Traditional Chinese recipes typically don’t include vegetarian fillings, but this is one of the few that I grew up eating. This filling is made primarily of chives, eggs, and glass noodles, which give contrasting tastes and a variety of textures. Feel free to adjust the ratios as you like! Personally, I like a greater chive-to-noodle ratio, since I don’t particularly like the taste of glass noodles. The filling is pre-cooked before it’s wrapped, which means the cooking process is only meant to ensure the wrapper is cooked through.
The wrappers are rolled out by hand so that the middle of the wrapper is thicker than the edges. This is so that the pleated edges aren’t too thick and you’re not eating raw flour after the dumpling is cooked. After they’re wrapped, the dumplings are pan-fried, then steamed by splashing water in the pan with the lid on. While you’re working on other dumplings, make sure to cover the already-made ones so that the skin doesn’t dry out.
Notes: These keep beautifully in the freezer, prior to cooking. Just defrost them briefly before pan-frying like normal. They are great to make in bulk and then heat up whenever you miss your parents 🙂
RECIPE
Wrapper:
– 2 cups of all purpose flour
– 1 cup (plus more) boiling water
Filling:
– A bundle of chives (3-4 cups chopped)
– 3 eggs
– 1 bundle of glass noodles (2 cups after boiled)
– 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
– 1 tsp white pepper
– 1 tsp salt
Method
- Stir the water into the flour gradually, stirring in one direction with chopsticks. Once the dough becomes clumpy, knead the dough with your hands until smooth and pliable. Form lemon-sized balls and roll then out with a rolling pin, leaving the center thicker than the edges
- Soak the noodles in near-boiling water until they’re soft. Then toss with a drizzle of sesame oil and roughly chop into shorter strands, so that they fit into the dumplings
- Heat oil on high heat and beat the eggs with a pinch of salt. Pour the eggs in the pan and let the bottom brown before lightly scrambling. Remove, then add more oil if necessary. Stir fry the chives with a dash of salt for 2-3 minutes, then add the eggs back in. Heat through before adding the chopped noodles. Season with sesame oil and white pepper, and adjust to taste.
- Wrap the filling in the wrapper, stuffing it as full as possible. Pinch and pleat to seal, and keep covered prior to cooking. Pan fry each dumpling for a few minutes, then flip and cover with a splash of water to steam the flour. Serve with a black vinegar dipping sauce
Maggieccooks 