Chinese Chives Pockets '韭菜盒子'
These Chive Pockets (韭菜盒子) are vegan, delicious, and light which are perfect for a quick snack or served as a meal by itself.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
Dough
- 300 g all purpose flour
- 175-180 g water, room temperature start with 175g
- a pinch of salt
Filling
- ½ lb [~250g] Chinese chives
- 7 oz [200g] firm tofu
- 50 g [1.7oz] bundle mung bean thread
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust to your preference
- 1 teaspoon organic sugar
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
Instructions
- To make the dough, place flour and salt in a large bowl and mix until well-combined.
- Gradually pour in the water and stir to combine. Then, knead into a soft dough, for about 8 - 10 minutes. Cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Soak the mung bean thread noodles in hot water for 10 minutes to soften it. Drain and cut or chop into smaller pieces.
- Clean chives by removing the browned part and rinse with water. Then, chop into 1cm length and transfer to a large bowl.
- Mash tofu in a non-stick pan into crumbles, add a drizzle of oil, then sauté them until golden brown and season with salt.
- Add cooked tofu, mung bean thread noodles into the chopped chives bowl. Then season with soy sauce, sugar, salt, a few dashes of white pepper and toasted sesame oil. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated.
- To make the pockets, dust countertop with flour and divide dough into 12 equal parts.
- Take one dough ball and flatten it with your palm (cover the rest with a towel). Roll the dough into a circular disc.
- Place about 2 - 3 tablespoons of filling in the middle and bring the edge from one side to meet the other end and pinch seal to make a half moon shape.
- To cook the pockets, heat a non-stick/cast iron pan with a drizzle of oil.
- Pan-fry pockets until golden brown, for about 3 to 5 minutes, then flip and cover the pan with a lid. Continue to cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.
- Remove and place pockets on a baking sheet pan and cover with a towel. This step is to give the pockets the chewy outer layer. Serve warm with sambal oelek.
Video
Notes
- Use softened thin rice vermicelli (bihun) to sub the mung bean thread noodles.