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Chive pockets
Jiǔcài hézi (韭菜盒子): pan-fried half-moon pastries filled with garlic chives, egg and glass noodles
TaiwaneseAt breakfast shops and morning street griddles all over Taiwan, these fat half-moons sit in rows on a flat iron, blistering slowly until golden, and people buy them with soy milk on the way to work. Inside the thin, crisp-chewy hot-water pastry is a juicy, garlicky filling of chopped garlic chives, scrambled egg and slippery glass noodles. Street vendors often add dried shrimp; this vegetarian version leans on sesame oil and white pepper instead. The common error is salting the filling too early, which draws water out of the chives and makes the pastry soggy and liable to tear; season only just before wrapping. Chef's tip: toss the chives in sesame oil first, because the oil coats them and keeps the juices in.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dough
- 10 ½ oz plain flour
- ¾ cup boiling water
- 3 ½ tbsp cold water
- ½ tsp salt
For the filling
- 1 ⅜ oz mung bean glass noodlessoaked in warm water for 10 minutes
- 3 eggs
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 10 ½ oz garlic chiveswashed, dried well and finely chopped
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground white pepper
For frying
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Mix 10 ½ oz plain flour and ½ tsp salt in a bowl, pour in ¾ cup boiling water and stir with chopsticks until flaky. Add 3 ½ tbsp cold water and knead for 3–4 minutes into a smooth, soft dough. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
20 minStep 2: Drain 1 ⅜ oz mung bean glass noodles and cut into 2 cm lengths with scissors.
Step 3: Beat 3 eggs. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and scramble the eggs into soft, small curds, about 2 minutes, until just set. Tip onto a board, chop finely and cool.
2 minStep 4: In a large bowl, toss 10 ½ oz garlic chives with 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil until glossy, then add the noodles and egg. Don't season yet.
Step 5: Divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll each into a thin circle about 16 cm across.
Step 6: Now stir ¾ tsp salt and ½ tsp ground white pepper into the filling. Spoon an eighth onto one half of a dough circle, fold the other half over and press the edge to seal, then crimp or pleat it. Repeat with the rest, working quickly.
Step 7: Heat half the 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add 4 pockets, cover and fry for 4–5 minutes, until the undersides are golden and blistered.
5 minStep 8: Flip and fry, covered, for another 4–5 minutes, until both sides are crisp and the filling is hot and bright green through the dough. Repeat with the remaining 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil and pockets.
10 minStep 9: Drain briefly on a rack and serve hot. Leftovers re-crisp in a dry pan over a low heat.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 400 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chive pockets take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 35 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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