Chinese chive pancakes are a beloved dish in Chinese cuisine, especially during the spring season when fresh chives are abundant. These savory pancakes are packed with the vibrant flavor of Chinese chives and seasoned with a touch of five-spice powder and salt, creating a delightful culinary experience.
In this recipe, I’ll guide you through the steps to create these crispy yet tender pancakes that are perfect for any meal of the day.
What To Love About Chive Pancakes
If you’re a regular reader of kitchen misadventures, you probably know my fondness for pancakes. From Shrimp Pancakes to Potato Cheese Pancakes, Sweet Potato Pancakes, and the classic dessert Mango Pancakes, I’ve explored a variety of pancake recipes. What I love about them is their simplicity; they often require minimal ingredients and are easy to make.
Chinese Chive Pancakes are no exception. They’re made with a simple batter consisting of eggs, flour, and seasoning, then cooked in a pan until golden. The beauty of this recipe is that you can adjust the seasoning to your taste preferences, making it versatile and customizable.
Ingredient Tips And Alternatives
- All-purpose flour: I prefer using all-purpose flour for the chive pancakes, as it serves as a versatile ingredient in my kitchen. Just like in making various buns such as Bunny Steamed Buns, Piggy Buns, and Peach Buns, all-purpose flour plays a crucial role in binding the ingredients together and reducing moisture for easier shaping. Additionally, it lends a crispy, golden exterior to the pancakes, enhancing their texture and appearance. If you don’t have all-purpose flour on hand, you can substitute it with tapioca flour, cornstarch, or potato starch in equal amounts.
- Chinese chives: Chinese chives, known as 韭菜 (jiǔ cài) in Chinese, are distinct for their longer and flatter green leaves compared to regular chives or garlic chives. They boast a robust flavor profile, offering a combination of mild onion notes and a pronounced garlicky taste. Chinese chives are often paired with eggs, creating delightful combinations like fillings in dishes such as Chinese Chive Pockets, or stir-fried alongside eggs, as seen in the Chinese Chive and Egg Stir Fry recipe. If you don’t have Chinese chives on hand, you can substitute them with regular chives, green onions, or leeks to achieve a similar flavor profile in your dishes.
- Chinese five spice powder: Season the paste filling with Chinese five spice powder. It is a mix of star anise (八角), Chinese cinnamon (肉桂), fennel seeds (小茴香), Szechuan peppercorns (花椒), and cloves (丁香). This spice adds a sweet, warm, and a hint of licorice-like flavor. You can get this in the spice section of a grocery store. Alternatively, making one yourself is also a good option. Simply follow my homemade Chinese Five Spice Powder To replace this spice, try any of the 5 Chinese Five Spice substitutes.
Ingredients:
- 400g Chinese chives
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt (divided)
- 1 tsp five-spice powder
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp cooking oil (preferably peanut oil)
How To Make Chive Pancakes:
Prepare the Chives:
Place the Chinese chives in a bowl and add a pinch of salt. Soak the chives in clean water for 10 minutes to remove any impurities.
Wash the Chinese chives thoroughly and drain them as much as possible to remove excess water.
Finely chop the drained chives into approximately 5mm lengths.
Make the Batter:
In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped chives with two tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Mix thoroughly using chopsticks until the chives are evenly coated with flour.
Add a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of five-spice powder to the bowl. Crack in two eggs and stir with chopsticks until a batter forms.
Cook the Pancakes:
Brush a pan with cooking oil and heat it over medium-low heat.
Pour the mixed batter into the pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula to form a pancake.
Cook the pancake for 2-3 minutes on one side until it becomes golden brown and crispy. Gently move the pan to ensure even heating and prevent burning.
Flip the pancake and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes on the other side until fully cooked and crispy.
Once cooked, transfer the pancake onto a cutting board and slice it into portions. While you can certainly enjoy it as a whole piece, I prefer to slice it into smaller portions for easier serving and sharing.
Plate the Chinese chive pancakes and serve them hot as a delicious appetizer or side dish.
Homemade Chive Pancakes
Ingredients
- 400 g Chinese chives
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt divided
- 1 tsp five-spice powder
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp cooking oil preferably peanut oil
Instructions
Prepare the Chives:
- Place the Chinese chives in a bowl and add a pinch of salt.
- Soak the chives in clean water for 10 minutes to remove any impurities.
- Wash the Chinese chives thoroughly and drain them as much as possible to remove excess water.
- Finely chop the drained chives into approximately 5mm lengths.
Make the Batter:
- In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped chives with two tablespoons of all-purpose flour.
- Mix thoroughly using chopsticks until the chives are evenly coated with flour.
- Add a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of five-spice powder to the bowl.
- Crack in two eggs and stir with chopsticks until a batter forms.
Cook the Pancakes:
- Brush a pan with cooking oil and heat it over medium-low heat.
- Pour the mixed batter into the pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula to form a pancake.
- Cook the pancake for 2-3 minutes on one side until it becomes golden brown and crispy. Gently move the pan to ensure even heating and prevent burning.
- Flip the pancake and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes on the other side until fully cooked and crispy.
- Once cooked, transfer the pancake onto a cutting board and slice it into portions.
