Pea Salad with Ponzu Dressing

Ponzu Dressing Brings Lots of Zing to Pea Shoot and Chive Salad

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Any combination of pea leaves, shoots, and sprouts will work well in the recipe, tossed with a spicy ponzu dressing.

Katianna Hong

and

John Hong

Published on December 20, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Pea Shoot and Chive Salad — Photo:
Dylan + Jeni

Total Time:

15 mins

Yield:

8 to 10 servings

2018 F&W Best New Chef Katianna Hong and John Hong of Yangban in Los Angeles serve fresh pea shoots and pungent chives with a lively dressing infused with ponzu and gochugaru, a Korean chile powder with a heat level similar to red chile flakes. This pea salad is fresh, bright, crisp, and zingy, and pairs well with just about any rich main dish like grilled short ribs or braised chicken.

Frequently asked questions

What are pea shoots?

Also known as pea leaves, pea tendrils, and pea vines, pea shoots are the young shoots from pea plants. They have a sweet, fresh-pea flavor, and are delicious in salads, stir-fried, and even in pestos. Look for pea shoots at specialty grocery stores and at Asian supermarkets or find them online at purveyors like chefs-garden.com

What is ponzu?

Ponzu is a tangy Japanese citrus-soy condiment. Find it at most grocery stores or online at umamicart.com.

What is gochugaru?

Gochugaru is a spicy Korean chile powder. Find it at most Asian grocery stores or online at thespicehouse.com.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Use a mandoline, if you have one, to get nice, super thin and even onion slices. Katianna notes that any combination of pea leaves, shoots, and sprouts will work well in the recipe.

Suggested pairing

A lightly herbal white wine, such as Domäne Wachau Grüner Veltliner Federspiel, complements this crisp salad.

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/3 cup panko or plain breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces fresh pea shoots, cut into 2- to 3-inch segments (about 5 cups)
2 ounces fresh chives, cut into 1- to 2-inch segments (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons ponzu
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon gochugaru or crushed red pepper flakes
Fried shallots (such as Maesri), for garnish (optional)

Directions

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium. Add panko and salt; cook, stirring, until toasted and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.
Toss pea shoots, chives, and onion together in a large bowl; set aside. Whisk together olive oil, ponzu, vinegar, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Lightly dress salad with desired amount of dressing, drizzling and tossing. Transfer salad to a platter. Sprinkle with toasted panko and gochugaru. Garnish with fried shallots, if using.

Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, December 2023 / January 2024