Pea shoots are the tender young leaves and tendrils of pea plant vines (they are not the same as pea sprouts). They can be found in Asian supermarkets. Since they are fragile, they can only be stored for at most one or two days in an open plastic bag in the refrigerator. They can be eaten raw or lightly cooked (e.g. in salads, as a topping for soups, or quickly stir fried). More information about pea shoots can be found at http://vegetables.wsu.edu/peashootbroc.pdf

Stir Fried Garlic Pea Shoots

• lots of minced garlic (e.g. 3 large cloves)
• several handfuls of pea shoots
• pinch of salt
• olive oil

Rinse pea shoots in cold water and drain. Heat oil in wok or skillet on high. Add minced garlic and saute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown, because it will become bitter. Add a pinch of salt. The pea shoots have enough water in them to lightly steam while cooking, so no additional water needs to be added. Add pea shoots to pan and quickly toss, until just wilted (about 30 seconds). Immediately remove from pan and serve while piping hot.


Hot and Spicy Noodles with Pea Shoots
From EatingAsia blog
One Serving (easily doubled or quadrupled)

• 4 ounces pea shoots
• 4 ounces dried Chinese wheat noodles -- thin mixes best with the shoots, but thick work OK too
• a peeled garlic clove
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp Chinese black vinegar (Chinkiang vinegar)
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 heaped tablespoons la jiao, with plenty of oil(chili flakes in oil)
• 1 Tbsp grated ginger
• a fistful of coriander, chopped (optional)

1. Pick through the pea shoots and remove any brown or black pieces. Wash and drain (don't need to spin dry). Bring a pot of salted water large enough to hold the noodles and shoots to the boil. 2. Be sure to note how long the noodles need to boil for -- drop them into the boiling water and keep track of their doneness (with a watch or by taste-testing). 3. Cut the garlic clove in half and rub the sides and bottom of the bowl the noodles will be served in(or eaten from) with it. Discard the garlic. Mix soy, sugar, la jiao, vinegar, and ginger in the bowl with a fork or whisk till sugar is dissolved. Taste and adjust for sourness, spiciness, saltiness. The sauce should be very strong -- it will be diluted once noodles and greens are added. 4. About 2 minutes before the noodles are done, add the pea shoots to the water, and stir to make sure all spend some time submerged. What you're looking for is a shoot that's more boiled than blanched, but not completely limp. The shoots should retain a tiny bit of crunch. 5. Drain noodles and pea shoots into a colander and immediately add to the sauce. Toss and enjoy. Kinda nice with a flurry of chopped coriander on top.

Sesame Pea-Shoot Salad

1 cup sugar snap peas
1/2 cup snow peas
1/2 cup shelled fresh green peas (about 1/2 pound in pods)
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
1/2 to 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
6 cups pea shoots

In a kettle of boiling salted water cook sugar snap peas 2 minutes. Add snow peas and green peas and cook 1 minute. Drain peas in a colander and rinse under cold water. Pat peas dry between paper towels. In a dry small skillet toast sesame seeds over moderate heat, stirring, until golden. In a small bowl whisk together sesame seeds, vinegar, oil, brown sugar, and soy sauce until sugar is dissolved. In a bowl toss pea shoots and peas with dressing.

Strawberry and Pea Shoot Toasts
makes 3 toasts
From Cook & Eat blog.

• 1 piece of bread, crust removed
• 3 pea shoots
• 1 t pepper jelly
• 3 small strawberries
• olive oil
• flake sea salt

Preheat the oven to 400F. Cut the bread into three rectangles. Place the bread on a parchment lined baking sheet, and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until the edges become golden brown (the bottoms will be darker). Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Prepare the pea shoots by washing well, and then removing any thick or tough stems, preserving the leaves. Heat a saute pan with a splash of olive oil a bit, and add the pea shoots. Give them a little toss to coat them in the oil. Saute for about 1 minute, or until the leaves start to become a slightly darker green.