Japanese Food Tips

Snow peas, known as “kinusaya” or “sayaendo” in Japan, are in the same family as snap peas, but are a different variety. Both the pods and fruits are edible. However, the taste is slightly different. By the way, when the fruits grow and become large, they turn into green peas. Snap peas are about 7 to 8 cm long, with thick pods and fruits, and a crispy texture. On the other hand, snow peas are about 5 to 6 cm long, with thinner pods and smaller fruits. When the snow peas have grown to a certain size, it is normal to remove the strands before cooking. Apparently, snow peas have been eaten in Japan since sometime in the Edo period (1603-1868). Nowadays, snow peas are used in dishes such as simmered vegetables, stir-fries, miso soup, clear soup, chirashi-zushi, and tempura. If you have a chance to eat snow peas, why don't you try to taste the difference between them and snap peas?