Chinese Snow Pea Shoots with Garlic
Some of the most delicious Chinese dishes are the easiest to make. My favourite side dish is the wonderful snow pea shoots with garlic. Ready in minutes! Learn how to put this together yourself at home…
My first taste of Chinese Snow Pea Shoots with Garlic was in Sydney, Australia some 10 years ago. We frequented a rather fantastic Shanghainese restaurant almost weekly and would always order the snow pea shoots. I love the delicate pea flavour from the leaves and combined with the garlic, it's quite the taste sensation!
蒜蓉炒豆苗 - 'dòu miáo' Lost in Translation
Being the clever folk we are we helpfully learned the word for this dish as it wasn't on the menu. It NEVER worked - a manager was always called as we fumbled through a combination of repeating our bad Mandarin, repeating it louder, gesturing the international hand signs for 'snow pea shoot', and eventually showing them a picture from our phone.
1 minute meal
To cook snow pea shoots at home is super simple and, like a lot of Chinese food, ready in seconds! This is a side dish, to be served with other Chinese fare, perhaps my delicious Xinjiang Lamb Skewers. They'll bring lightness and freshness to any spread.
What are Snow Pea shoots?
They're the stems and leaves from the snow pea. They're edible and have a light pea aroma and flavour.
Are Snow Peas healthy?
Snow pea leaves have good source of beta carotene, vitamin C, folate, and fiber. They can also help boost our immunity.
How do I prepare Snow Pea Leaves?
Give them a thorough rinse under a cold tap to get rid of any grit or dirt.
I can't get snow pea shoots is there a substitute?
There isn't really a close match to flavour, so I wouldn't suggest a substitute for another leaf, but you can make this dish simply using snow peas or sugar snap peas. The exact same quantities and timings are fine.
How to make my Chinese Snow Pea Shoots with Garlic
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch snow pea shoots roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 tbsp peanut oil
- 1/2 cup Chinese shaoxin cooking wine
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a wok over a high heat until just hot.
- Add the garlic and stir for 5 seconds before adding all the snow pea shoots.
- Stir fry for 1 minute until wilted then add the Shaoxin wine, season with salt and remove from the heat.That's it!
Nutrition
Did you make my Chinese Snow Pea Shoots with Garlic?
How did you go? Let me know in the comments below and be sure to tag @cookeatworld at Instagram.
One of my favorite Chinese staples. Unfortunately they’re seasonal, so can be hard to come by. But definitely worth finding.
I agree. And definitely worth learning how to ask for them in Cantonese too!