FoodFood InformationSidesLegumes
Snow peas are smaller and much flatter than the more common English peas.
Unlike the English peas, which have inedible pods, the entire snow pea is
sweet and tender. Snow peas are highly prized in Oriental cuisines, where
they are often left whole or sliced into thin strips and quickly stirfried
to retain their color and crispness. Snow peas used to be sold only in Oriental
food stores but today are available in most larger retail markets. They
are now available twelve months of the year. During the winter months they
are flown in from Central America.
Snow peas often carry expensive price tags-two to three times per pound
as much as English peas-but unlike English peas, where there is at least
50 percent waste, 100 percent of the snow peas end up on the plate.
When shopping for snow peas, use the same guidelines for identifying top
quality as you do for English peas. Look for fresh-looking, velvety-feeling
pods that are free from mold. The color of fresh snow peas is paler than
that of the darker green English peas. If the snow peas are yellowish in
color, or if there is any sign of decay, or if they don't feel fresh and
crisp, pass them by.