The Asparagus Pea

The asparagus pea, or winged pea, is touted as one of the prettiest vegetables on the planet. The seedpods' delicate asparagus-like flavor. Because the Asparagus pea is a scrambling, herbaceous annual legume endemic to the Mediterranean region of southern Europe, where it is a common spring-blooming wildflower in field and scrub, it relishes the high heat of the summer. For this reason the seeds will have to be sown indoors in early spring.

Growing around 6 inches tall and 24 inches wide, the plant has small trifoliate leaves and red flowers that grow in pairs. The winged pods that develop after flower pollination grow up to 3 1/2 inches long. Asparagus pea plants need a little extra physical support to keep them off the soil. This helps avoid slug damage, facilitates air circulation, and makes harvesting a little easier on the back.

Pods need to be picked when they are just one to two inches long (or a day or two after the flowers fade). Otherwise, they become too fibrous to be eaten. This means you'll need to make a daily foray into the vegetable garden to harvest them. Store the produce in zip-seal bags in the lower portion of the refrigerator until there is enough to make an entrée or side dish. Inevitably, some pods will go overlooked on the plants and mature to the point of becoming stringy and papery. These can be dried and the resulting small dry peas can be used in any of your favorite legume recipes.

The pods may be boiled, sautéed, steamed, dipped in tempura batter and deep-fried, or pickled. The flowers are also edible and can be applied as edible garnishes to salads, cheeses, and pâtés.

Source: Brooklyn Botanic Garden

THAI ASPArAGUS PEA SALAD (YAM TUA POO)

• 1 cup asparagus peas, topped and tailed, steamed till just tender, and plunged briefly in ice water
• 1 cup shrimp, boiled and shelled
• 1 cup extra-firm tofu, pressed to extrude excess water and cubed
• 1 to 2 tablespoons Thai roasted chili paste
• Juice of 1 lime
• Palm sugar or light brown sugar
• 1 cup coconut cream
• 1/4 cup sliced garlic
• 1/4 cup sliced shallots
• 1/4 cup dried red chili peppers, sliced thinly lengthwise, with seeds removed
• Peanut or vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup crushed, toasted peanuts
• 1/4 cup dried, grated coconut, lightly toasted

Gently mix the asparagus peas, seafood, and tofu. For the dressing, mash the Thai roasted chili paste with a little lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon sugar until it dissolves. Add 3/4 of the coconut cream. Adjust flavor with sugar, salt, and remaining lime juice to taste. Fry the garlic, shallots, and chilis until crispy but not burned. When cooled, add the fried vegetables to the asparagus pea mixture along with the dressing. Mix gently. Add more coconut cream, salt, sugar, or lime juice to taste. Place in a serving dish and sprinkle the peanuts and coconut on top. Serves 2 to 4.