They’ve Got Strings
Are you wondering why sugar snap peas are labeled “stringless,” when it seems like all you get is strings after cooking them?
It’s not the peas. It’s you. (Sorry!)
There are many foods that I am not expert at making, but I am a darned good pea maker! The secret is the cooking time.
Crunch Time
All types of peas (fresh, frozen, or in the pod) taste one hundred percent better if they are cooked just a bit.
I learned by trial and error that overcooking sugar snaps makes them stringy. Even now, I often want to cook them longer than I should.
We are so conditioned to want to cook vegetable to death but less cooking time means the veggies retain more of their vitamins and polyphenols.
Of course, everyone’s stove is different. Even the definition of “boiling water” varies from cook to cook. So, start with the basic recipe below and then adjust as needed.
Here’s how to make perfect sugar snap peas so that they stay true to their “stringless” identity.
Perfect, Stringless Sugar Snap Peas
Ingredients
- 8 oz. sugar snap peas raw
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. butter or olive oil
Instructions
- Rinse and set aside raw snap peas.
- Fill a medium saucepan with enough water to fully cover peas. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cover.Bring the pot to full boil.
- Remove lid and add the snap peas to the boiling water.Cook for about 60-70 seconds. Taste test. Peas should still be crunchy, with only a tiny bit more “give” than when they were raw. The peas will continue to soften, so err on the side of a more firm pod.
- Turn off heat and drain pea pods in a colander.Once drained, empty the pea pods into a serving dish.
- Add a small bit of butter or olive oil (1/4 tsp.) and mix to distribute.Serve delicious, stringless, snap peas!
If you like this recipe, try our snap pea and radish salad with honey-baked feta. It’s yummy!
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