Botanical Name: Allium tuberosum
Also Called: Chinese chives or Asian chives
Garlic chives are a versatile and flavorful herb native to East Asia. Unlike common chives, which have a mild onion flavor, garlic chives have a distinct garlicky taste, making them a popular ingredient in Asian cuisine. The plant features flat, grass-like green stems and delicate white flowers that bloom in late summer, both of which are edible and used in cooking.
Garlic chives are distinguished by their broader, flatter leaves compared to the hollow, tubular leaves of regular chives. The flavor of garlic chives is more pungent, with a subtle garlic aroma and taste, without the intensity of raw garlic cloves. This makes them an excellent alternative for adding a hint of garlic to dishes without overwhelming other flavors.
Garlic chives are widely used in Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and other Asian cuisines. They are often added to stir-fries, dumpling fillings, soups, and noodle dishes. One popular dish featuring garlic chives is jiǎozi (Chinese dumplings), where they are combined with pork or vegetables to create a flavorful filling. Garlic chives are also a common ingredient in Korean pancakes (buchimgae), where their subtle garlic flavor complements other vegetables and seasonings.
The stems of garlic chives are often chopped and sprinkled over salads, noodles, or rice dishes, adding both flavor and a fresh, bright green color. The flowers, which are edible, are sometimes used as a garnish or stir-fried alongside the stems in Chinese and Thai cooking.