Pea sprouts

Yes, you can add them raw to salads, sandwiches and wraps for a fresh, sweet, pea-like crunch. Rinse them under cool running water and dry them gently before serving.

Add them right at the end: stir-fry for about 1–2 minutes, or scatter them over hot soup just before serving. Long cooking makes their tender stems limp.

Keep them dry in the fridge in a loosely closed container lined with kitchen paper, and use them within a few days. Remove any slimy or sour-smelling sprouts rather than eating them.

Their sweet, crisp flavour works with spring onions, mint, lemon, sesame and chilli. Add them to noodle salads, rice bowls, omelettes or a pea and mint soup just before serving.

Yes. Soak whole dried peas, drain them, then keep them in a clean sprouting jar or tray, rinsing and draining them twice daily; they are usually ready in a few days. Use peas sold for sprouting, not split peas, which will not sprout.

They can be eaten raw or cooked, but raw sprouts may carry harmful bacteria because they grow in warm, damp conditions. Cooking them thoroughly is the safer choice for anyone who needs to avoid foodborne illness.

A 100 g portion has 3.3 g of protein. Pea sprouts are a fresh topping rather than a concentrated protein food, so pair them with beans, eggs, tofu or another protein-rich ingredient for a more substantial meal.