Getting the Peas Ready
Choose your snow peas. Snow peas are available in the produce section of most grocery stores. Here's what to look for when selecting snow peas to eat: Pick snow peas that are crisp with brightly colored pods. Avoid snow peas that are swollen or larger than 3 inches (7.6 cm) long--they tend to be tough. Also avoid snow peas that are dry along the edges, have yellow spots, or are wrinkled. Snow peas that are in a sealed container and refrigerated can be stored for several days.
Rinse the snow peas. Place the snow peas in a colander and rinse in running cold water, swirling the peas. As an alternative, you can immerse a colander of snow peas in a bowl of cold water and swirl.
Trim the snow peas. It's important to trim off the stems of snow peas because the stems will be tough. The stem end will have a small cap on the end, perhaps with a short stem attached. Leave the other end (the end with a slight curl to it) intact for now. You'll need it to help you remove the “string.”
Remove the “string.” The “string” of the pod makes the snow pea stiff and tough, and removing it allows the snow peas to become more tender. Pinch the curly end of the snow pea. Hold the snow pea and grasp the small curl at the bottom of the pod. Pinch it until it is completely off. If you have trouble removing the end, use a small knife to help you. Grasping the curly end, pull it downward along the pod to remove the “string.”
Cutting the Peas
Slice the snow peas makes them easier to handle and to eat. You can slice the peas into thin strips lengthwise (julienne) for use in a marinated salad, a spring salad, lumpia, tacos, or pasta. For instructions on how to julienne vegetables, see How to Julienne.
Cut the peas in half on the bias (that is, not straight across but at a diagonal). Cutting on the bias exposes more surface area of the vegetable for cooking. Hold the blade of your knife so that it's at an angle to the pea. Slice down with the blade to cut the pea in half, making sure to keep the blade angled so the resulting cut goes diagonally across the pea. The greater the angle of your cut, the greater the surface area of the pea that will be exposed for cooking. Continue cutting the rest of the peas on the bias, making sure that the pieces are all approximately the same size.
Use them whole. Snow peas can also be served whole. There are several uses for whole snow peas, including: Using raw snow peas as dippers for hummus or ranch or to add crunch to a salad. Snow peas as a side dish. You can serve whole snow peas glazed, sauteed, stir-fried, or steamed.
Seasoning and Cooking
Season with olive oil. Olive oil is a great base for seasoning and cooking snow peas. To season with olive oil, drizzle the oil over the snow peas, then add salt and pepper to taste. Snow peas prepared this way may be eaten raw, if you choose. To cook snow peas with olive oil, add about a tablespoon of oil to a pan under medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the snow peas along with salt and pepper to taste and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the peas are bright and crisp.
Season with Italian seasoning. Italian seasoning is a spice blend available at most grocery stores. It is a great blend to use on snow peas. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Optional: add a clove of minced garlic and cook for a minute or two until fragrant. Add the snow peas, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning, a tablespoon of water and cook until the peas are brightly colored, about two minutes. Optional: add salt and pepper to taste.
Season with salt. Boiled and lightly salted snow peas make a great snack or vegetable dipper. Place snow peas in a medium-sized pot. Add water to the pot until the snow peas are covered. Boil until they're bright and tender, about 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the snow peas and season with salt.
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