Chives are a commonly used household herb that often serve as a condiment for fish, potatoes and soups. They have a mild flavor and pungency that’s subtler than garlic or onions.

Chives are rich in vitamins A and C, calcium and iron. Enjoy the delicate flavor of chives in the variety of recipes below.

Chicken and Chive Dumplings

1 pound head cabbage
1/2 pound chives
1 pound ground chicken, beef, or pork
1 tablespoon minced ginger root
1-1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 (12-ounce) package mandoo pi (dumpling wrapper)
Soy sauce
Vinegar
Ginger root slivers

Slice cabbage coarsely; add to blender by quarters. Add water to cover cabbage. Cover and blend on high for 2 seconds. Drain and repeat until all cabbage is shredded. Squeeze cabbage to remove moisture.

Blanch, rinse, and finely chop chives. Combine cabbage, chives, ground meat, minced ginger, salt, soy sauce and sesame oil; mix well.

Put 1 tablespoon of filling in center of each pi. Fold wrapper in half and seal edges.

Bring pot of water to a boil, add dumplings and cook 5 minutes. Rinse dumplings under cold water to prevent them from sticking together.

Serve with soy sauce, vinegar and ginger. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 350 calories, 10 g fat, 2.5 g saturated fat, 80 mg cholesterol, greater than 1,100 mg sodium, 41 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 26 g protein

Red Potato Salad with Sour Cream and Chives

6 large red potatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup fresh chives, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper, to taste

Scrub and clean potatoes. If large, cut in halves or quarters.

Boil potatoes in their skins until fork-tender. Drain, dry and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

In large bowl, combine potatoes, sour cream, yogurt and chives; toss gently to coat. Add salt, and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until chilled. Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 320 calories, 5 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 450 mg sodium, 60 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 8 g protein

Baked Stuffed Fish with Mushroom, Chives and Garlic

2- to 3-pound whole fish
1 teaspoon salt
4 large dried mushrooms, soaked
1/4 cup chopped chives
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons sesame oil

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease large baking pan. Clean fish; rub inside with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.

Remove stems from mushrooms; thinly slice caps. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, chives and garlic.

In skillet, sauté mixture in 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil. Stuff fish; secure with skewers or string. Rub outside of fish with the sesame oil and wrap in cheesecloth.

Place on rack in prepared pan and cover with foil. Bake in oven for 20 minutes per pound or until done. Serve with Vinegar-Soy Sauce (see recipe below). Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional information, based on 3-pound whole mullet with Vinegar-Soy Sauce: 330 calories, 17 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 85 mg cholesterol, greater than 2,500 mg sodium, 7 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 37 g protein

Vinegar-Soy Sauce

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted and ground sesame seeds
2 teaspoons minced green onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger root

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Makes about 1 cup.

Approximate nutritional information, per tablespoon: 10 calories, no fat, no saturated fat, no cholesterol, at least 500 mg sodium, 1 g carbohydrate, no fiber, no sugar, 1 g protein

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"The Electric Kitchen" is presented weekly by Hawaiian Electric Co. For more local-style recipes from HECO’s extensive archives, visit the website www.heco.com.