Garlic chive turnovers (韭菜盒子)

Last Updated on October 9, 2020 by Simon Fan

If you like empanadas, calzones, or any type of savory pies, chances are you’ll be charmed by Chinese garlic chive turnovers.

With alluring golden shell and luscious filling, all of these tasty pockets have a lot in common: warming, comforting, and versatile—perfect as a snack, appetizer, or one-dish meal.

That said, each of them is created in its unique way. To make calzones, you would start with a yeast dough, the same one used for pizzas. Empanadas call for a flaky dough using butter, lard, or vegetable shortening. As for garlic chive turnovers, the dough is surprisingly simple and ingenious: a hot water dough made with wheat flour and hot water. By mixing very hot water (above 160°F/70°C) with the flour, you partially cook the flour to reduce the degree of gluten development during kneading, creating a very soft dough. Hot water dough is extremely useful when the cooking method is pan-frying or steaming. Both Chinese potstickers and scallion pancakes, for example, are made with hot water dough.

In northern China, people eat these lovely turnovers quite often in the spring, when garlic chives are at their best with young and tender leaves and stems. As you can see from the picture, the leaves of garlic chives are flatter and broader than those of regular chives. They have a delicate garlic flavor, hence the name. You can find them at Asian grocery stores and farmers’ markets.

You can add other ingredients to the filling depending on what you like. Here are a few suggestions: eggs, ground pork or chicken, pressed tofu, shrimp, cellophane noodles (mung bean noodles), and mushrooms.

My recipe below uses shrimp and eggs, both frequently paired with garlic chives in stir-fry dishes.

Garlic chive turnovers (韭菜盒子)

Makes 4 turnovers

Ingredients

7 oz (200 g) all-purpose flour
⅜ cup (90 ml) hot water (above 160°F/70°C)
2 tablespoons (30 ml) cold water
2 large eggs, beaten
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
3 oz (85 g) garlic chives, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces.
4 oz (115 g) shelled shrimp, deveined and chopped into small pea-sized pieces
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Shanxi vinegar or Zhenjiang (aka Chinkiang) vinegar

Directions

To make the dough:

1. Spread the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the middle. Slowly pour the hot water to the flour, stirring quickly with a pair of chopsticks to distribute the water evenly. Sprinkle with the cold water and continue stirring.
2. When the dough is no longer too hot to handle, use your hands to form the dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough until it’s smooth and elastic, 2 to 3 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.

To make the filling:

1. Lightly season the eggs with salt and pepper. Heat a wok or skillet over medium heat until hot, then swirl in the oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, pour in the eggs, then lower the heat. Stir constantly until just set. Transfer the eggs to a plate and let cool to room temperature. Chop the eggs to small pieces.
2. Add the garlic chives, shrimp, eggs, soy sauce, and sesame oil to a bowl and mix well.

To make and cook the turnovers:

1. Divide the dough into 4 even pieces and form each piece into a ball. On a lightly floured work surface, flatten a ball with your palm, then use a dumpling rolling pin (a dowel about 1 inch/2.5 cm in diameter) to roll it into a circle about 7 to 8 inches (18 to 20 cm) in diameter. Place a quarter of the filling in the center of the circle, and fold to form a half-moon shape. Crimp the edges with the tines of a fork to seal, then gently flatten the turnover with your palm. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
2. To cook the turnovers, heat a skillet over medium-low heat until hot, then swirl in the 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil starts to shimmer, add the turnovers in a single layer and pan-fry until golden brown and the filling is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
3. Cut each turnover in half, drizzle with the vinegar, and serve right away.

Variation: Use chopped pressed tofu in place of the shrimp for a vegetarian version.