Pisum sativum.
Direct cousin of the Yellow Pea — simply a variety selected for its whole green dried seed. The microgreen flavour is essentially identical to that of the yellow pea: a surprisingly intense sweetness of fresh peas — round, sugary, herbaceous — that transforms the perception of the humble "green pea" vegetable. The shoots are morphologically identical too: long green stems 8-15 cm tall, young leaves, sometimes tendrils, topped by the fleshy cotyledons of the seed that part as the shoot emerges. Side-by-side flavour comparisons sometimes attribute to the green pea a slightly more pronounced fresh-grass note, and to the yellow pea a smoother, almond-like note — a subtle difference that's fun to explore by growing both varieties in separate trays.
Classic use in Asian cooking: briefly stir-fried in a wok with garlic and sesame oil (the Cantonese dau miu 豆苗, already described in our pages); as a garnish on spring risotto; on fresh pasta with peas; in bowls and wraps. As with the yellow pea, these shoots can be cut above the collar and regrow for a modest but real second harvest.
- Soaking: 8-12 hours in warm water before sowing.
- Germination time: 2-3 days.
- Sprout harvest: 3-5 days after soaking begins.
- Pea shoot harvest: 10-14 days after sowing (8-15 cm tall).
- Yield: about 1 cup of dried peas produces a 20 × 20 cm tray of pea shoots.
- Best uses: Cantonese stir-fries, risotto, fresh pasta, spring salads.
