Thank you to Bob’s Red Mill for sponsoring this post! One of the biggest joys about blogging is being able to cook with Mama Lin. I helped her in the kitchen when I was young, and we have now come full circle with her helping me cook for my blog. Occasionally, Mama Lin sends a message to me about a new dish that she wants to try. These Chinese chive boxes were one of her suggestions. Chinese chive boxes (韭菜盒子, also called chive pockets) come from northern Chinese cuisine. They are a popular street food, and they’re often prepared for new year’s celebrations. Typically, the filling includes Chinese chives (or garlic chives), eggs, vermicelli, minced meat, and dried shrimp. I wanted to make a vegetarian version, so I substituted the meat and shrimp with shiitake mushrooms and shredded carrots. Because chive boxes are usually larger than regular dumplings, you’ll need to make the dough from scratch. Don’t worry, it’s incredibly easy to make. For the dough, I am using Bob’s Red Mill’s Organic Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour. The flour is freshly milled from certified organic, hard red wheat. I love how the flour is finely ground because it helps make the dumpling dough soft and smooth. Even Mama Lin commented on how nicely the dough felt when we used Bob’s Red Mill’s flour!
WHY USE WARM WATER FOR THE DOUGH
Many recipes for Chinese chive boxes recommend using just boiled water to make the dough. I don’t like the consistency of the hot water dough. The dough is sticky and it loses a lot of elasticity due to the heat of the water. I find the texture of hot water dough to be a little sticky when I bite into it. That’s why I prefer making the dough with warm water at about 110ºF. You also don’t want to use cold water to make the dough. The dough will stretch back significantly every time you roll it out. It’s very frustrating.
HOW TO MAKE THE CHINESE CHIVE BOXES AHEAD
If you want to make these ahead, place the pleated chive boxes to plates or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze them for a few hours, until they are hard on the outside. Then, transfer them to zip top bags. When you are ready to cook the chive boxes, place the frozen boxes directly to a heated pan with oil. There is no need to thaw the chive boxes. You’ll just need to add a few more minutes to the cooking time.
FOLDING TECHNIQUE
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill! To learn more about their products and to get more recipe inspiration, follow them on Instagram or Facebook.
