{Recipe} Stir-Fried Snow Pea Tips 炒豆苗
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Happy Chinese New Year of the Monkey!
I hope all of you got to celebrate the Chinese New Year 2016 in some way and if you got to cook something off the Chinese New Year Cookbook, please share your favorite dishes from the mix.
If you are, like me, still experiencing a food coma from the over-extended celebration of Chinese New Year, I’ve got some idea for you – eat something light and refreshing, preferably green. Want more specifics? Try this classic stir-fried snow pea tips dish – it’s, in my opinion, one of the best cures to food hangover.
Snow pea tips, a.k.a. pea shoots, snow pea greens, dou miao 豆苗 in Mandarin are a delicacy in Chinese cuisine. If you have never seen them before, next time when you are at your local Chinese supermarket, look for these green leafy vegetables with hollow stems and curly tendrils either in a transparent bag or sitting loose on a shelf.
Pea tips are tender in texture and smells and tastes similar to that of snow peas. When picking the pea tips, look for the ones with large leaves and short and tender stems. The long stems tend to be pretty tough and best to avoid.
Once cooked, the pea tips become soft and have a unique refreshing and pleasant flavor that snow peas don’t quite have. I’ve also been told that they also make a great garden salad ingredient but have not done it to confirm.
To make this classic Chinese stir-fried pea tips, you’ll need a really hot cookware, preferably a cast iron skillet or a Chinese style wok. Unless you have commercial grade stove, for home cooking, I suggest quickly blanching the vegetable before stir-frying to reduce the liquid, creating a better taste.
One more tip about this recipe. If you really want to match the taste from the restaurant, try substitute a portion of cooking oil with lard, which further enhances the flavor of the pea tips.
{Recipe} Stir-Fried Snow Pea Tips
Yield: 4 Servings
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 4 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Ingredients:
- 1.5lb snow pea shoots
- 2 clove garlic, sliced
- Salt to taste
- 1tbsp oyster sauce
- Lard* (optional)
Directions:
Thoroughly clean the pea shoots by rinse under cold water. Transfer the pea shoots to a colander to remove the excess water.
Bring a big pot of water to bring. Add 1 tbsp of cooking oil. Blanch the pea shoots for 30 seconds or until just welted
Heat up 2 tbsp of oil or lard * in your wok or frying pan** over high heat. Once the oil is smoky hot, add sliced garlic and fry for 5 seconds or until aromatic.
Add the blanched pea shoots and quickly stir fry for 30 seconds. Add oyster sauce and salt and stir fry for another 30 seconds. 
Plate and serve immediately.
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I think this is what we had for dinner last night at Beijing Duck House — we’d asked for “a vegetable” and it sure looks like this is what the waiter brought us. When I asked what it was, he was saying something like “pee-tee,” which I didn’t understand, but it sure sounds like “pea tips,” doesn’t it? And speaking of the lard, I asked my husband (a chef) whether there might be a little butter in it, so the lard was probably it. The dish was delicious, and I’ll have to see if I can find the vegetable here — in the Bay Area, probably yes!
Hi Elise, thank you for checking out my blog. I am glad that you and your family enjoyed pea tips. The use of lard makes a pretty big difference and it’s probably one of the few occasions that I’d consider including lard in my cooking. Check your local Chinese supermarket to see if they are still available. I still see them here in NYC but at slightly higher price since the peak season just passed. Thanks again for your visit!
Love this stir fried snow pea much….., in my country so expensive…..import from china…he..he..
yuk that’s gotta be expensive then. I believe the ones in the US are grown here.
Yum! I had this recently at Empire Chinese Kitchen in Portland, Maine. I will have to try making it at home now!
Hi Leah, please let me know how the homemade version turned out!
The Chinese markets near me have a big selection of vegetables but this one does not ring a bell. What is it called in Chinese? Thanks,
Jeff
In mandarine it’s called dou miao or 豆苗 in writing.
I love that you’re recommending to use lard, which is a highly overlooked fat in the U.S. I have a vat of it in my fridge at all times (DP renders it). I like to add a egg white sauce to this dish as well.
Thanks Ana. Will have to try out the egg white version.
A simple and delicious veggie stirfry, Yi.
Thanks Angie.