They are green, shiny, perfectly spherical and, oh so delicious… Cook up a batch of pea delights with recipes that will taste as amazing as they look – green and yum.
Spring Pea Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 2 large cloves of garlic (chopped)
- 2tbsp cooking oil
- 3 cups peas (frozen, if fresh not available)
- 2 ½ cups water
- 1tsp curry powder
- 2 stalks of fresh lemongrass (minced)
- 1 cup coconut milk
Method:
- Heat oil in a pot over medium heat and add chopped onions. Sauté the onions until soft (for about 5 minutes or so) and then add the chopped garlic. Stir it for a couple of minutes, ensuring that it doesn’t burn.
- Now add the peas, along with the minced or finely chopped lemongrass and water. Bring it to a boil before reducing the heat to low. Add the curry powder while it is simmering and keep the pot covered for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Turn the heat off and add the coconut milk. Use a blender to blend the soup until it is smooth. If required, you could add more water. But if you prefer a thicker consistency, go ahead and add more coconut milk.
Spread Peas…
(This healthy vegan recipe can work as a side dish or as a spread on your toast)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup shelled peas
- 2tbsp Tahini
- 1tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 garlic clove (peeled and sliced)
- A pinch of cumin
- 2 tbsp fresh mint (chopped)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
- Place the peas in a vessel and steam it for 1 to 2 minutes. Make sure that it is al dente so that the nutrients are intact and there are no overcooked wrinkle marks on the peas.
- Remove the peas into a colander and place them under cold running water to stop the cooking process.
- Reserve a tablespoon of cooled peas to mix in just before serving to add a slightly coarse texture to the puree (you could avoid this if you prefer smoother puree).
- In your blender, place the remaining peas and the Tahini, along with lemon juice and zest, garlic, cumin and mint. Blend it to a smooth and creamy texture.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
Pea Kachori
(Kachori is a spicy snack made in India. This pea kachori can be made in advance and frozen for use when needed. Although this is baked for health reasons, you could also deep fry them.)
Ingredients:
(For the filling)
- 2-inch piece of ginger (peeled and roughly chopped)
- 2 green chillies (roughly chopped)
- 4 cups of peas
- Cooking oil
- 1tsp mustard seeds
- 1¼tsp cinnamon powder
- 1¼ tsp garam masala (spice powder)
- ½tsp ground turmeric
- Salt to taste
- ½tsp chilli powder
(For the pastry)
- 300g plain white flour
- ½tsp salt
- 1½tbsp rapeseed oil
- ¾ cup hot water
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180C mark and lightly grease a tray with some oil.
- In a blender, blitz the ginger and green chilli to a paste and set aside.
- Follow that by blending the peas. Keep it aside.
- Place a pan on the gas and put oil in it. Add the mustard seeds and when they start to crackle, add the ginger and chilli paste. Stir it for a few minutes and add the peas. Cook it for a further 5 minutes.
- Now add the cinnamon, garam masala, turmeric, salt and chilli powder. Cook for a further 2 minutes. Make sure there is no moisture in it, but the peas are bright green.
- Move this to a bowl and get ready to make the dough.
- Place the flour in a bowl, add salt and oil and rub with your fingers until the flour resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Pour in the hot water, little by little, kneading it into the dough until it is firm and right to roll. Add a teaspoon of oil to your hand and pat it on to the dough.
- Now take a pinch of dough, the size of a small lime, and roll it into a circle of about 10cm in diameter.
- Roll all the dough and get ready to stuff them.
- To make the kachori, place a teaspoon of pea mixture in the centre and bring the sides of the pastry up tightly around the peas. Seal the pastry at the top by pinching it closed.
- Roll the kachori into a flattened ball and set it aside.
- Place the kachoris on the baking tray and bake them in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Enjoy hot kachoris.
Pea and Haloumi Fritters
Ingredients:
- 2 cups peas
- 3 eggs
- 150gms self-rising flour
- 60ml milk
- 80gms Haloumi (coarsely grated)
- 3 shallots (thinly sliced)
- 1tbsp fresh dill (chopped)
- 60ml cooking oil
- Lemon wedges (to serve)
- Fresh dill sprigs (to serve)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
3 eggs
Method:
- Cook the peas in a large saucepan and drain the water.
- Coarsely blend the peas in a food processor and set them aside to cool.
- Lightly whisk the eggs in a bowl.
- Put the flour in a bowl and add milk, Haloumi, shallot, dill and pea puree. Stir in the salt and pepper.
- Heat 3 teaspoons of oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add five tablespoonfuls of batter. Flatten it slightly and let it cook for 3 minutes on each side or until the fritters are cooked through.
- Serve the fritters with lemon and dill.