Mangetout

Pois gourmand

What it is

A pea bred without the tough parchment layer inside the pod, so the whole thing is edible — the French name says it outright: eat it all. Without that membrane the pod cannot split to release seed, so the plant depends entirely on us.

In the kitchen

Ninety seconds in a hot pan is enough. The point is the snap, and it is lost the moment the pod goes limp.

Goes with

Ginger Sesame Garlic Soy sauce Butter Mint Spring onion Lemon

Same species

Pea Pea shoots Split pea

Also used with

Koya-dofu

In season alongside

Asparagus Sweetfish (ayu) Bell pepper Borage Chervil Cucumber

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