The one-minute plate I make when I have chives and a sheet of qianzhang is this one – chives and qianzhang stir, and this home cook’s version promises in the title that you can learn it in a minute. A home cook wrote it in nine steps with the timing in the middle: qianzhang twenty seconds, dark soy, then the chives in as the water nearly dries. I made it as written, and it is the bright, simple plate that proves some dishes really are that easy.

Jiu cai chao qian zhang (韭菜炒千张) is chives and qianzhang stir – tofu-skin strips blanched with salt, tossed twenty seconds with yellow chili, colored with dark soy, and finished with chives as the pan nearly dries.

What Is Chives and Qianzhang Stir?

This is the simplest of the sheet dishes: qianzhang – the recipe reminds you it is the same thing as dou pi – is cut into strips, chives into long segments, and yellow chili sliced. The qianzhang blanches in lightly salted water and drains. Hot pan, cool oil: the qianzhang and chili toss twenty seconds over medium, a little water and two grams of salt season it, and two grams of dark soy color it. Over high heat for twenty seconds more, and as the water is about to dry, the chives drop in – with three grams of chicken powder and five or six tosses, it is done.

For the same chives toss with pressed suji rolls, my chives and suji stir uses the thicker block.

Why This Recipe Works

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• Learn it in a minute. The recipe’s promise – and it holds.

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• Qianzhang equals dou pi. The recipe’s reminder in step two.

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• The salted blanch. Seasoned and clean.

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• Dark soy for color. Two grams only.

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• Chives as the water dries. Then five or six tosses – done.

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Equipment Needed

• A wok
• A pot for the blanch
• A spatula

Ingredients

• Qianzhang (tofu-skin sheets), in strips
• 1 bunch of fresh chives, in long segments
• A few yellow chili slices (or mild chili)
• A little salt, 2 g dark soy, and 3 g chicken powder

Ingredient Notes

Qianzhang: The tofu-skin sheet – same thing as dou pi, the recipe reminds you. My cold yuba salad uses sticks instead. Chives: Long segments, in at the last moment. Dark soy: Two grams – just the color.

Prep & Mise en Place

Cut the qianzhang; cut the chives; slice the chili; salt the blanch water.

Cooking Process

Step 1 – The finished plate

The finished plate.

Step 2 – Prep the ingredients: qianzhang – tofu-skin sheet, same

Prep the ingredients: qianzhang – tofu-skin sheet, same thing as dou pi – chives, and yellow chili.

Step 3 – Cut the qianzhang into strips, the chives into long seg

Cut the qianzhang into strips, the chives into long segments, and slice the yellow chili.

Step 4 – Blanch the qianzhang in water with a little salt, then

Blanch the qianzhang in water with a little salt, then drain.

Step 5 – Hot pan, cool oil: add the qianzhang and yellow chili a

Hot pan, cool oil: add the qianzhang and yellow chili and toss 20 seconds over medium; add a little water and 2 g of salt.

Step 6 – Add 2 g of dark soy for color

Add 2 g of dark soy for color.

Step 7 – Toss 20 seconds over high; as the water is about to dry

Toss 20 seconds over high; as the water is about to dry, add the cut chives.

Step 8 – Add 3 g of chicken powder and toss five or six times mo

Add 3 g of chicken powder and toss five or six times more – out of the pan.

Step 9 – A simple and good plate – save it and make it

A simple and good plate – save it and make it.

Common Mistakes When Making This Dish

1. Wilted, bitter chives. Cause: too early or too long. Fix: as the water dries, five or six tosses. 2. A muddy, gray sheet. Cause: too much dark soy. Fix: two grams. 3. Soggy, waterlogged strips. Cause: no drain. Fix: drain after the blanch. 4. A pale plate. Cause: no chicken powder. Fix: the three grams. 5. A soupy pan. Cause: water too early. Fix: a little, and let it dry.

Variations

Spicier: A dried chili with the yellow. With egg: A scrambled egg folded in. My chives and suji stir is the pressed-roll version of the same toss.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is qianzhang? Thin tofu-skin sheets – the recipe reminds you it is dou pi by another name. Why blanch it? Seasoned and clean before the pan. Why only two grams of dark soy? Color, not flavor – the balance. How long does it take? Under 15 minutes. Is it spicy? Only if the chili is – and my silken tofu potage is the calm soup, cold yuba salad the cool side.

How to Serve

Serve with rice or congee – with chives and suji stir, green pepper and dried tofu, and home-style tofu for a green table, or with red braised tofu and golden pan-fried tofu for contrast.

Storage & Reheat

Refrigerate 2 days; reheat quickly. Never leave out more than 2 hours.

Allergen Notice

This recipe contains soy (qianzhang). It is free of gluten, dairy, egg, nuts, fish, and shellfish.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

About the Author & Recipe Development

I am Jason Guo, a Chinese chef who has cooked professionally for more than five years – including time as a head chef – and now runs my own small restaurant in China, where tofu appears on the menu almost every day. This xiachufang cook’s chives and qianzhang stir is my one-minute plate when chives are in season, and the recipe’s learn-it-in-a-minute promise is exactly the kind of claim I like to test. I tested it as written. I have not tested the egg version, so that is your experiment, not my claim.

Authoritative References

USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service – Safe Temperature Chart for safe storage of cooked dishes.