Eggs with Peas, Chinese Style

This is based on a dish I posted way back in the dawn of history, or at least the dawn of this blog. That was Eggs with Tomatoes, Chinese Style.  You'll never guess that I pretty much substituted peas for the tomatoes. I didn't add the sugar though, not just because I'm avoiding it, but also because peas are sweeter than tomatoes and I thought it could do without it. A little pinch could go in, though, to help balance the vinegar.

I think I like the tomato version just a bit better, but this was a really nice way to have our breakfast eggs while trying to use up some of the peas that are flooding into the kitchen at the moment. Because peas lack the acid kick of the tomatoes, it's a good idea to have a heavy hand with the pepper to balance some of the other elements in the dish. Or, next time, I might add a half teaspoon or so of finely grated ginger. Pinch of hot pepper flakes or a little chile-garlic sauce? Maybe.

Meanwhile, a slightly different take on our usual breakfast eggs. Ideally serve it with fresh steamed rice. We had it with leftover quinoa, which was actually just fine.

2 servings
15 minutes prep time

2 cups snap OR snow peas
2 green onions
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon water
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
4 extra-large eggs
1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil

Wash and trim the peas. Clean and trim the onions. Mince the onions, keeping the white and green parts separate.

 In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch, (sugar), sesame oil, water and vinegar. Whisk the eggs.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and when hot, add the whites of the onions[ cook for just a minute. Add and cook the eggs, breaking and turning them as for scrambled eggs. Remove them from the pan when they are mostly set, back into the bowl in which they were whisked.

Add the peas and green onions to the pan, with a splash of water. Cook until they change colour to a bright green; stirring and turning them to cook them quickly and evenly - the whole process won't take more than a minute. The water should be mostly gone. Give the starch-vinegar mixture a little stir and mix it into the peas. As soon as it has thickened - seconds should do it - return the eggs to the pan and mix them into the peas, but try not to break them into curds which are too small; you want the eggs a little chunky. Heat through and serve. Best, no doubt, on steamed rice but steamed quinoa isn't half bad either.

Posted in: Ontario Food