Snow Pea Shoots

Photo Credit: Sarah Culver

I have 2 favorites to share with you today.  First, this photo is one of my favorites in The Chinese Kitchen Garden.  If you've been enjoying my posts about Asian vegetables, you'll really like my book, which is jam-packed with information about growing and cooking Chinese vegetables.  It's also filled with gorgeous photos by Sarah Culver.  I love this moody one with the basket of snow pea shoots on a plank over the creek that flows into my father's pond.  

The second favorite to share is that my mom's favorite vegetable is "dau miu", or snow pea shoots. These are the delicate top several inches of pea plants, and the greens are tender and so good lightly stir fried with just some garlic.  It's a delicious side dish.  Recently, I've seen pea shoots grown as microgreens and atop dishes or salads at restaurants.  Though they can be found at Asian supermarkets (at a steep price for greens), I've not yet seen them anywhere else.  Of course, if you grow your own, you can have fresh shoots when you want them.  Pea shoots wilt quickly, so fresh from your own garden is the best and most economical way to go!