Snow Pea, Scallion, and Radish Salad

The lively flavors and eye-catching look of this salad, excerpted from the cookbook The Food You Crave, are testament to how much just a few ingredients can accomplish when they are put together with care.

• 2 cups (8 oz.) snow peas, trimmed
• 2 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
• 4 radishes, trimmed and cut into thin strips (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1 Tbs. walnut or canola oil

Put the snow peas in a microwave-safe bowl with 1 Tbs. water. Cover tightly and microwave for 1 minute. Drain and let cool. Cut the snow peas on the diagonal into 1/2-inch diamond shapes, discarding the end pieces.

In a medium serving bowl, combine the snow peas, scallions, and radishes. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, and oil until the sugar dissolves. Pour over the salad and serve.

Sesame Chicken with Ginger & Snow Peas

• 1 to 1-1/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 to 3), very thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 2 Tbs. soy sauce
• 1 Tbs. Asian sesame oil
• 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. rice vinegar
• 2 Tbs. ketchup
• 8 scallions
• 6 oz. snow peas, trimmed (about 1-1/2 cups)
• 2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
• 3 Tbs. canola oil
• 2 Tbs. lightly toasted sesame seeds

In a large bowl, toss the chicken with 1 Tbs. of the soy sauce, 1-1/2 tsp. of the sesame oil, and 1 tsp. of the rice vinegar.

In a 1-cup liquid measuring cup or another bowl, combine 1/4 cup water with the ketchup and the remaining 1 Tbs. soy sauce, 1 Tbs. vinegar, and 1-1/2 tsp. sesame oil.

Trim the scallions and separate the dark-green tops from the light-green and white bottoms. Slice the tops into 2-inch pieces and the bottoms into thin rounds. Combine both in a medium bowl with the snow peas and ginger.

Heat 1-1/2 Tbs. of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet or large stir-fry pan over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until it loses most of its raw appearance, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a large plate.

Add the remaining 1-1/2 Tbs. oil and the scallions, snow peas, and ginger, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the ginger and scallions start to brown, about 2 minutes.

Return the chicken to the pan and add the ketchup mixture and half of the sesame seeds. Cook, stirring, until the chicken is cooked through and the snow peas are crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds, and serve.

Snow Pea, Scallion, and Radish Salad

The lively flavors and eye-catching look of this salad, excerpted from the cookbook The Food You Crave, are testament to how much just a few ingredients can accomplish when they are put together with care.

• 2 cups (8 oz.) snow peas, trimmed
• 2 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
• 4 radishes, trimmed and cut into thin strips (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1 Tbs. walnut or canola oil

Put the snow peas in a microwave-safe bowl with 1 Tbs. water. Cover tightly and microwave for 1 minute. Drain and let cool. Cut the snow peas on the diagonal into 1/2-inch diamond shapes, discarding the end pieces.

In a medium serving bowl, combine the snow peas, scallions, and radishes. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, and oil until the sugar dissolves. Pour over the salad and serve.

Sesame Chicken with Ginger & Snow Peas

• 1 to 1-1/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 to 3), very thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 2 Tbs. soy sauce
• 1 Tbs. Asian sesame oil
• 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. rice vinegar
• 2 Tbs. ketchup
• 8 scallions
• 6 oz. snow peas, trimmed (about 1-1/2 cups)
• 2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
• 3 Tbs. canola oil
• 2 Tbs. lightly toasted sesame seeds

In a large bowl, toss the chicken with 1 Tbs. of the soy sauce, 1-1/2 tsp. of the sesame oil, and 1 tsp. of the rice vinegar.

In a 1-cup liquid measuring cup or another bowl, combine 1/4 cup water with the ketchup and the remaining 1 Tbs. soy sauce, 1 Tbs. vinegar, and 1-1/2 tsp. sesame oil.

Trim the scallions and separate the dark-green tops from the light-green and white bottoms. Slice the tops into 2-inch pieces and the bottoms into thin rounds. Combine both in a medium bowl with the snow peas and ginger.

Heat 1-1/2 Tbs. of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet or large stir-fry pan over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until it loses most of its raw appearance, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a large plate.

Add the remaining 1-1/2 Tbs. oil and the scallions, snow peas, and ginger, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the ginger and scallions start to brown, about 2 minutes.

Return the chicken to the pan and add the ketchup mixture and half of the sesame seeds. Cook, stirring, until the chicken is cooked through and the snow peas are crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds, and serve.

Stir-Fried Snow Peas with Shiitakes and Ginger

I like to serve these alongside steamed fish or sautéed chicken.

• 2 tsp. soy sauce (preferably Kikkoman “milder”)
• 1/2 tsp. Asian sesame oil
• 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. canola or other vegetable oil
• 6 medium shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and cut into 1/4-inch slices (about 1 cup)
• 1 heaping Tbs. finely julienned fresh ginger
• 3/4 lb. snow peas (about 4 cups), trimmed (break off the stem end of each pea and pull the string away from the pod)
• Kosher salt
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted, for garnish (optional)

Tip:

Choose dark green, dense-looking peas with no signs of drying or cracking. Trim them by breaking off the stem end and pulling the string away from the pod (see How to string a pea pod).

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce and sesame oil with 2 Tbs. water and set aside.

Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat for about 30 seconds and add 1 Tbs. canola oil, swirling it to coat the pan. When the oil is very hot, add the shiitakes and cook, stirring once, until they begin to brown lightly, about 1 minute. Add the ginger and stir-fry until the mushrooms are golden and the ginger has softened, 1 to 2 minutes more.  Add the remaining 1 tsp. canola oil and then the snow peas and a pinch of salt. Stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the soy sauce mixture and continue to stir-fry until the peas are crisp-tender and the liquid has reduced to a glaze, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt to taste and garnish with the sesame seeds, if using. Serve immediately.

Snow Pea, Scallion, and Radish Salad

The lively flavors and eye-catching look of this salad, excerpted from the cookbook The Food You Crave, are testament to how much just a few ingredients can accomplish when they are put together with care.

• 2 cups (8 oz.) snow peas, trimmed
• 2 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
• 4 radishes, trimmed and cut into thin strips (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1 Tbs. walnut or canola oil

Put the snow peas in a microwave-safe bowl with 1 Tbs. water. Cover tightly and microwave for 1 minute. Drain and let cool. Cut the snow peas on the diagonal into 1/2-inch diamond shapes, discarding the end pieces.

In a medium serving bowl, combine the snow peas, scallions, and radishes. In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, and oil until the sugar dissolves. Pour over the salad and serve.