Article by Gil "hannaone"
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Image by hannaone
Weight information obtained from USDA food database
With a long and diverse past, chives (Allium schoenoprasum) have served both culinary and medicinal purposes for centuries. Originally native to Europe, Asia, and North America, these versatile herbs have been cultivated for 5,000 years and were commonly known as "rush leeks" during the Middle Ages. In ancient times, they were utilized in Egyptian cooking, medicine, and rituals before making their way to Greece and Rome where they added flavor to dishes. During the medieval era in Europe, chives were highly regarded as a medicinal herb used to heal digestive issues and relieve cold symptoms.
Asian chives (Allium tuberosum), also referred to as garlic chives, Chinese chives, or buchu in Korean, have their origins in the Siberian–Mongolian–North Chinese steppes. Throughout history, they have been highly valued for their culinary and medicinal properties. From ancient Chinese rulers to contemporary gardeners, these chives have been prized for their distinct taste and health advantages. Today, they are cultivated in gardens worldwide and continue to be sought-after herbs for cooking, seasoning, and vibrant dish presentation.
Asian Chives (Allium tuberosum): The nutritional content of Asian Chives is similar to that of regular Chives. It’s important to note that the nutritional content can vary slightly based on factors such as soil quality and growing conditions.
Remember, while chives are nutrient-dense, they are often used in small quantities, so they may not significantly contribute to daily nutrient intake. However, they can still be a valuable addition to a balanced diet due to their vitamin and mineral content.
Chives | |||||||||||
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Chives have a mild onion or sometimes garlic flavor. | |||||||||||
1 tablespoon | chopped | 3g | .1oz | ||||||||
1 cup | chopped | 48g | 1.7oz | ||||||||
1 bunch | average | 56.8g | 2oz | ||||||||
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Asian or Korean Chives (Garlic Chives) | |||||||||||
Common Names: Buchu, Korean Chives, Chinese Chives, Garlic Chives. | |||||||||||
1 tablespoon | chopped | 3.5g | .1oz | ||||||||
1 cup | chopped | 56g | 2oz | ||||||||
1 bunch | average | 114.8g | 4oz |
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Asian or Korean chives probably originated in the Himalayas and the high Mongolian plains. They have a distinct garlic flavor and have flat leaves. Buchu are used in many types of Kimchi, some ban chan dishes, in soups, stews, braises, and stir fries.
When buying select uniform green bunches with little or no blemishing.
Storage: Trim/remove any discolored leaves and wrap loosely in paper towel or newspaper. May be kept refrigerated for up to three or four days.
Asian or Korean chives can be substituted by garlic shoots OR chives (not as pungent as Asian or Korean chives) OR flowering chives.
Image by hannaone: buchu kimchi (Chive Kimchi)
When planted, Korean, or Garlic, chives will provide quite a few harvests throughout the growing season, and as long as the roots are left in the ground will come back year after year.
We have a small planting area next to our house where we have chives growing, and we get a fair harvest roughly every two to three weeks.
To Begin:
We prep our soil with a mix of native soil, quality garden soil, and steer manure. We also add coffee grounds, chopped up fruit peels & skins, and crushed egg shell composted and worked into the ground.
Make sure that your planting area has from partial to full sun, and has good drainage.
Planting:
Easy Method: Korean markets often sell sprouted chives in the spring that are perfect for planting in gardens, and you may also find them at farmers markets, herbal growers, or garden variety stores. Transplant into a prepared growing area after last chance of hard frost.
From Seed: Direct sow after last chance of frost. Plant the seeds four of five to a group. Try to keep seed groups about 2 inches apart.
Growing:
Water the chives until ground is wet but not soggy. Allow to almost dry (damp but not wet soil) between waterings. Thin slightly if needed to allow room to grow.
Pest Control:
You can use natural pest repellants like pepper spray to keep many pests out of your growing area. Pepper spray can easily be made by tossing hot chili peppers like jalapeno, or serrano into the blender and mixing with about a quart of water and a few drops of cooking oil or biodegradable dish soap (or use 2 teaspoons of sriracha)
Harvest
Once the plants reach about 9 inches in height you can start harvesting. Use a sharp knife or kitchen shears and cut the chives down to about 1 inch in height, this will leave enough plant for it to recover. In order to have continual harvest, cut from one section of the growing area at a time.
Image by hannaone: Korean Chives
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