Photo by TARMO HANNULA
Chinese Chive Dumplings
By SARAH RINGLER
Garlic chives, with their delicate white flowers, are often decorative garden plants in our area. But they are also edible and with their gentle oniony flavor, make a nice savory dumpling filling.
Translated from Mandarin, these dumplings are called Chive Boxes and are a common street food in northern China. They can be made any size. This recipe is adapted from one by Lisa Lin at healthynibblesandbits.com. There are many steps to making these and I learned a lot about Asian cooking from Lin’s clear instructions.
I bought my garlic chives at one of the 99 Ranch Markets over the hill in Mountain View. The chives came in large bunches so I chopped them all up and successfully froze what I didn’t use. The dumplings also freeze well.
Mung bean vermicelli have many names some of which are cellophane noodles, bean thread, glass noodles, fensi, long rice and sotanghon. They are readily available in most grocery stores.
Although this is a familiar Asian recipe, it is similar to dumplings made around the world. I love pierogies, a Slavic dumpling that is very similar. With a little sour cream on the side, I also served these with broiled lamb chops.
Dough:
3/4 cups water
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more
1 teaspoon safflower or other neutral oil
Filling:
2 cups chopped Chinese chives into 1/4-inch pieces
5 teaspoons safflower or other neutral oil, divided
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1/3 cup chopped shiitake mushrooms, fresh or dried and soaked in hot water
1/2 cup mung bean vermicelli, soaked in warm water for 10 min., drained and chopped
2/3 grated carrots
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 teaspoons sesame oil
For Frying:
3 tablespoons safflower or other neutral oil
1/2 cup water
Dipping Sauce:
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon chili oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Make the dipping sauce by whisking all the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
Make the dough by putting 2 cups of flour in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour. Heat the water until it is very warm to touch but not scalding. Carefully pour the water into the bowl with the flour. Using chopsticks or a wooden spoon, mix the flour and dough. Once the dough starts coming together, drizzle in 1 teaspoon of safflower oil. Use your hands to gather all the bits of dough and knead together for several minutes. The dough may be a little tacky but it shouldn’t be sticky. If the dough is feeling dry, add a tiny splash of water.
Shape the dough into a smooth ball. Place in a bowl and cover with a wet towel. Let dough rest for 30 minutes.
To make the filling prepare all the ingredients in advance. Chop the chives and put into a mixing bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of safflower oil and toss with the chives. Set the bowl aside.
Prepare the eggs by first lightly beating them in a bowl. Then heat 1 teaspoon of safflower oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl the oil around and once the pan is hot, add the beaten eggs. Cook them for about 1 minute, scrambling the eggs with a spatula. Turn off the heat, and use the spatula to break up any large chunks of egg into small pieces, no larger than 1/2-inch pieces. Transfer the eggs to a plate and wipe down the skillet.
Drizzle the remaining 2 teaspoons of safflower oil into the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and mushrooms and sauté for a minute. Mix in the carrots and chopped vermicelli and stir for another minute. Turn off the heat. Season with the salt, sugar, ground coriander, and white pepper and stir to combine. Taste and adjust flavors. Transfer everything to the plate with the eggs and let cool for 10 minutes.
When cool, pour the egg and vegetable filling into the bowl with the chives. Drizzle in the sesame oil and toss to combine.
You are now ready to roll out the dough and make the chive boxes. Flour your work surface and a large baking sheet where you will put the boxes.
Take the dough out of the bowl and knead it for a few seconds. Divide the dough into 12 pieces, or 8 if you want larger ones. Shape each piece of dough into a ball. Roll out the dough into circles, about 4 ½ to 4 ¾ inches in diameter. Use a dry cloth to cover the rolled-out dough to prevent them from drying out.
Take a disk of dough and place about 3 to 4 tablespoons of filling into the center. Fold the dough in half and seal so that you end up with chive boxes that are a half-moon shape. Make sure that the boxes are properly sealed. Using your thumb to pinch small pleats into the dough. Put each one on the floured baking sheet and cover with a dry cloth to keep them from drying out. Repeat with the remaining dough.
To finally cook the boxes, get out a large skillet with a lid. Keep an eye on the boxes as they can burn easily. Fill a measuring cup with about 1/2 cup of water and set it next to the stove. That will be enough water for 2 batches. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of safflower oil to a large skillet and put over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, place 6 chive boxes onto the pan. Fry them for 1-2 minutes, watching to see that they’re lightly golden on the bottom. Flip them over and fry for another 1 to 2 minutes, until lightly golden.
Hold the lid of the skillet in one hand to use as a shield as you pour 1/4 cup of water into the pan. Cover the skillet with the lid. The pan will sputter and bubble. Lower the heat and cook for 3-4 minutes. Uncover the pan and flip the chive boxes over. Keep cooking and flipping the boxes until all the water has evaporated and there is a nice crust on both sides of the chive boxes. Transfer the cooked boxes to a serving plate. Repeat for the remaining chive boxes.
Serve chive boxes immediately with dipping sauce and/or chili oil.
