Peas

While i was still living in Malaysia, i never really bothered about peas. To me, they r more for western type food . To me, peas meant canned peas. Fresh peas? Where would u find them in Malaysia? if there are..i was ignorant of it..(dearest friends..are there really fresh peas in Malaysia? do u know?)

Life in istanbul..Yeah.. i remember the first time i saw the sellers sold fresh peas still in the pod. I even asked the seller what it was and he...looked at me weirdly told me..*bu taze bezelye* (this is fresh peas) .

I found this info on the net...

"Peas are legumes that originated in western Asia; in Switzerland, traces of peas have been found near homesites, where they were probably being eaten during the Bronze Age, over 5,000 years ago. Traveling from Greece to India, the pea arrived in China during the 7th century, where it was named ho tou, or “foreign legume.” Peas were popular during the Middle Ages in Europe, being easy to grow, inexpensive, hearty, and a source of protein."

What about the nutritional benefits?

Well... according to the source...1 cup of raw peas has:

Calories: 117
Protein: 7.8g
Carbohydrate: 21g
Total Fat: 0.58g
Fiber: 7.4g

*Excellent source of: Folate (94mcg), Vitamin A (928 IU), and Vitamin C (58mg)
*Good source of: Zinc (1.8mg)
"Fresh peas should be used immediately and are best when barely steamed or eaten raw."

In turkey, the peas r in season now. Every year, when it is in season, i will buy as much fresh peas as i possibly can, separate the peas from the pod and put them in the deepfreezer...hopefully,they will last till the next peas season. There is so much difference in the taste between the fresh peas and the canned ones. That is why i try to avoid using canned peas whenever possible....

I bought 2 kilograms of fresh peas (in the pod) last pazar. The pictures below will illustrate what happened to the peas...I think this is a great way to spend personal yet beneficial time with ur kids..(not to mention free labour!!)... dont u agree??

Fresh Peas in the Pod

My beloved two helpers:
Hatice n baddin at work.
Faster hatice!!
FaSter baddin!!

The Fresh Peas Successfully Separated from the Pod.

Five Minutes Peas Playing
(with anne's permission)
Hatice was busy eating fresh and plum sweet cherries at that time.