the spring onion

In “Asian Ingredients,” cookbook author Ken Hom states that the spring onion (also called scallion and green onion) is probably “Asia’s most universally used vegetable and seasoning ingredient.” Martin Yan has said that ginger, garlic and green onions make up the “holy trinity” of Chinese cooking. A flavorful herb, spring onions are used in soups, dumplings, dips, marinades, stuffing and stir-fries. 
In "Breath of a Wok," Grace Young describes a traditional method for seasoning a wok using Chinese chives to help take away the metallic smell.
A simple garnish consisting of slivers of curled green onion, green onion brushes are a quick and easy way to lend color to a dish.