Split / Black Gram Split / Yellow(Golden) Split
FoodFood InformationSidesLegumes
Prior to World War 11, fresh English peas were as commonplace as greenbeans in retail produce markets and usually sold at very modest prices.After having all but disappeared from the marketplace, they are now makinga comeback, not as a commonplace staple but as a gourmet food. They arealso selling at gourmet prices.
Fresh peas lost favor during World War 11 because Rosie the Riveter, afterputting in eight to ten hours at work, had neither the time nor the energyto shell fresh peas or lima beans or to shuck sweet corn. Fresh peas didn'tregain their popularity after the war because of the introduction of thefirst frozen foods. While we always had canned peas, they weren't fullyaccepted as a "fresh" vegetable because of their lack of color-closerin hue to gray than to the desired green. I can remember restaurants inthat era adding bicarbonate of soda to restore the desired green color.The bicarb may have brought back the color, but it killed what little flavorthe canned peas had. Frozen peas, while not nearly as tender and sweet asthe fresh ones, did have the right coloring and were accepted by most peopleeven though they were usually more costly than the fresh product. Ironically,today fresh peas often cost twice as much per serving as frozen peas.
Fresh peas are available twelve months of the year and the peak of seasonis May, June, and July, when peas are grown locally in most states. Duringthe winter months we get peas from Mexico and California. Fresh peas areusually quite costly. Remember when figuring out the cost per serving thatat best you can get only two servings from a pound of peas.
When shopping for English peas the color is most important, and that coloris green. Look for glossy, bright green, smooth-skinned pods. Check outthe calyx-the remnant of the blossom at the stem end-and make sure it looksfresh and green. The pods should feel velvety. Reject those peas that areoff-color (yellow) or dull and limp. Especially avoid those that feel veryhard and have dry, rough pods. If they are in a mass display at your market,open up a pod and examine and sample the peas. If they are sweet and tender,make the purchase. If they are hard or are starting to sprout, buy frozenor canned peas instead.
Fresh English peas are one of our more flavorful vegetables. Their flavorand texture is comparable to that of fresh picked sweet corn. Like corn,as soon as they are harvested and exposed to heat, their sugar is convertedinto starch. This conversion isn't quite as rapid in peas as in corn, butit is a relentless process. As in sweet corn, peas that are overgrown, orexposed to heat, or that aren't fresh, will eat tough and starchy. Theycan be stored in a refrigerator for a few days, but the sooner they areused the better.
Fresh, sweet English peas can be eaten raw almost as a confection. Therefore,when you cook them use as little water as possible and keep in mind thatyou can easily overcook peas but it's almost impossible to undercook them.