Japanese Pantry
Nira: Japanese Garlic Chives (Chinese Chives)
にら
By the Aoi's Japanese School Lunch team · November 7, 2026 · 2 min read
What nira (garlic chives, or Chinese chives) are, how they differ from regular chives, how to cut and cook them, and what to use if you can't find them.
In the video "Tasty Japanese School Lunch Miso Ramen Recipes To Try Now," nira goes into the ramen with cabbage, carrot and bean sprouts. Nira is a flat green chive with a garlicky flavor, known in English as garlic chives or Chinese chives. About 20 recipes on this site use it.
What is nira?
- A flat-leaved chive. Its botanical name is Allium tuberosum. The leaves are flat, not round and hollow like regular chives.
- Garlicky and savory. It smells like garlic, and the flavor mellows as it cooks.
- Sold in bunches. Look at Asian markets for "garlic chives," "Chinese chives," gau choy (Chinese), buchu (Korean) or nira (Japanese).
How it's used in the video
- 0:12 The nira is cut into 3 cm pieces (a little over 1 inch).
- 0:39 It goes into the pan with the carrot, cabbage and bean sprouts, and the vegetables stir-fry over medium heat for 3 minutes.
- 1:31 School lunch ramen vegetables cook for a long time, so they lose some of their bright color. The video calls those faded vegetables a symbol of school lunches.
Cutting and cooking
- Cut it shorter for children. In her stamina don video (in Japanese), Aoi cuts nira to about 2 cm because its fibers can stay in the mouth even after cooking.
- Bite a stem to check. In her yakisoba video (in Japanese), Aoi adds nira near the end of the stir-fry and bites a stem to make sure it has softened.
- Want it greener? Nira cooks quickly, so add it later in the cooking.
Keeping it
- In the fridge. Nira wilts quickly. Wrap it, keep it in the fridge and use it within a few days.
- In the freezer. Cut it and freeze it, then add it straight from the freezer to soups and stir-fries.
Can't find it?
- Use scallion greens with a little minced garlic. This is the closest easy swap.
- Use regular chives. They are milder and thinner, so add them at the very end.
Also in this video: tube garlic and chicken stock powder.
