Flat-leaf garlic chives add a mild garlicky flavor to stir-fries, stews, noodles, gyoza fillings, egg dishes, and more. It’s a popular herb used in Asian cuisine.
Garlic chives, or Nira (韮, にら, ニラ) in Japanese, have broad and flat leaves. It adds a mild garlicky-onion flavor to stir-fried dishes and fillings. Common names include Standard Garlic Chives, Oriental garlic, Asian chives, Chinese leek, and Chinese chives.
Table of contents
What Are Garlic Chives
Garlic chives (Allium tuberosum) have a grass-like leaf and are native to southeastern Asia. Unlike onions or other types of garlic, the fibrous bulb is not edible. In Japanese cuisine, it’s usually cooked in soup, stir-fries, or as a filling for gyoza.
The plant is a hardy, clump-forming herbaceous perennial. The white flowers are edible and can be crumbled over eggs, soft cheeses, or made into floral arrangements.
Yellow chives (黄ニラ) are grown undercover without exposure to direct sunlight. It’s a delicacy with an even more mild flavor than garlic chives.
What Does It Taste Like
It has a mild garlicky-onion taste without the spicy and sharp taste.
How To Use
Chop off the sturdy stems and wash well before use. Use fresh garlic chives in a variety of stir-fry dishes, noodle toppings, hot pots, soups, and savory pancakes like okonomiyaki and pajeon.
You can also use it in non-Asian cuisine. Add to herbal vinegars, salads, compound butter, and grilled meat.
Recipes Using Garlic Chives
- Gluten-Free Korean Veggie Pancake
- Kushikatsu (Kushiage) 串カツ・串揚げ
- Mazesoba (Mazemen) 台湾まぜそば
- Niratama Donburi (Chive and Egg Rice Bowl) ニラ玉丼ぶり
Where To Buy
Find it at Asian and Japanese grocery stores, farmers’ markets, or well-stocked supermarkets. You could also try growing it in a container herb garden. The perennials are drought-tolerant and prefer full sun but thrive in moist soil.
How To Choose The Best
Choose those with fresh green stems that don’t have black spots or look limp.
How To Store
To keep it fresh, wrap the bunch in a wet, well-wrung dishtowel or paper towel and store it upright. You could also chop it into manageable pieces and store them in water in the fridge. Change the water every three days.
You can also freeze it. Chop it into pieces and stash it in a plastic bag.
Substitutions
Swap with vegetables in the allium family, such as leeks, scallions, onions, onion chives, and Chinese onions.
Health Benefits
In addition to its versatile culinary uses, it’s a good source of essential nutrients, such as vitamins A and C, folic acid, potassium, calcium, iron, and fiber. It’s beneficial to the digestive system, stimulating appetites, promoting blood circulation, and having diuretic properties.
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