Pea Tendrils; Pea Shoots

All through the Mekong region, pea tendrils—the growing tip of the pea plant Pisum sativum var. saccharatum—are used as a raw green or a lightly cooked vegetable. They have become much more widely available in North America in the last ten years or so. Some are very fine, for they’re the young sprouts of green pea plants; others are coarser and stronger, and look as if they were cut from a tall growing pea plant. The former can be stir-fried after a little chopping; the latter should be chopped into bite-sized lengths before stir-frying. The former can be eaten raw, or added to soups at the last moment; the latter are much better after being cooked to wilt them thoroughly. See also cucumber tendrils.