Tenderheart: A Cookbook About Vegetables and Unbreakable Family Bonds by Hetty Lui McKinnon

Author:Hetty Lui McKinnon [McKinnon, Hetty Lui]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-05-30T00:00:00+00:00

“Perhaps this is controversial to say, but I love frozen peas more than fresh.”

Perhaps this is controversial to say, but I love frozen peas more than fresh. To me, fresh peas feel like a lot of work—they require shelling, are only seasonal for a moment and run the risk of being chalky. Frozen peas, on the other hand, are consistent, our dependable best friend. My love of frozen peas comes from my mother, of course. She was, and still is, a big fan of frozen food. From her freezer she could whip out shrimp, squid, whitebait, meat, homemade wontons and more. And there were always bags of peas, along with corn and “mixed vegetables,” the pea, corn and carrot mix that she used exclusively for fried rice and macaroni soup. In weeknight cooking, we are best not to forget the flexibility, and power, of the freezer.

Snow peas and sugar snap peas are, by contrast, wonderful when fresh. Snow peas, known as mangetout (French for “eat all”) in France and the UK, are a staple in Chinese cooking. But interestingly, they are not native to China. In Cantonese, they are called hor lan do, which means “holland pea.” It is believed that snow peas were developed in Holland in the 16th century, traveling to England and then on to China. They became so popular in Chinese cuisine that they are sometimes referred to as “Chinese peas.”

Snow peas and sugar snaps are affable legumes. They require only minimal cooking and handling to coax out their natural greatness. Cooked at high heat, they bring a wonderful crunch and vibrancy to stir-fried dishes. They are equally pleasing when eaten raw. Both snow and sugar snap peas can be finely sliced for salads—this is one of my favorite ways of eating them.

And if you are lucky enough to come across pea shoots in the spring, nab them. Known as dou miu in Cantonese, these tender and sweet leaves, stems and twisty tendrils can be eaten raw, but they also spring to life when stir-fried with garlic over high heat.

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