Tamarind Prawns with Lemon Sugar Snap Peas (Mangetout)
Serves 4
Mangetout or snap pea, also known as the sugar snap pea, is a cultivar group of edible-podded peas. The snap pea differs from the snow pea in that their pods are thicker and rounded as opposed to flat. The name mangetout (French for “eat all”) can apply both to snap peas and snow peas.
I was making this dish on TV a few weeks ago. Coming from Europe, we just naturally call sugar snap peas, mangetout. Each time I said mangetout, the host burst out laughing. It must have been my Geordie come French accent. Laughing is contiguous and I started laughing too. We were laughing so much I don’t know how I finished the dish and how it turned out so well.
To me food is medicine, along with exercise and being positive about yourself and your future. The best medicine of all is laughter. I have the amazing pleasure to cook and eat with my three boys each and every night. We sit around our kitchen table, converse, eat, and drink. Mostly, we laugh. We tell stories from our day, and at least one of them will end up cracking us all up. Honestly, it is the best part of my day.
No matter what you call them, mangetout, snap pea or sugar snap peas, they have a high fiber content, which can help keep your digestive system functioning properly. The higher fiber content of sugar snap peas also makes it a great food for lowering your cholesterol, which can reduce your risk for heart attack. They are an especially good source of soluble fiber, which helps regulate blood sugar levels so that you can maintain a healthy weight. One cup contains only 67 calories. They are fat free and contain folate, which helps lower amino acid levels in the body. Too much amino acid can cause heart attacks and heart disease.
These peas contain vitamin C and caretenoid. Vitamin C helps prevent colds and flu. Carotenoids can reduce your risk of cataracts and help prevent some types of cancers. In addition to improving heart health, preventing disease, and helping you manage your weight, sugar snap peas can also help you build strong bones. They contain vitamin K and iron, which combats anemia.
Ingredients:
1 cup kamut
2 cups low sodium vegetable stock
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 inches of fresh ginger peeled and grated
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons tamarind paste
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
2 cups raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, crushed
1 lemon, zest and juice of
3 cups sugar snap peas, roughly chopped
How to make:
Take a medium size saucepan, add the kamut and stock. Place on the stove over a high heat. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until the kamut is tender. Remove from the stove, drain, and transfer to a warm bowl.
Place a large wok or frying pan over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the ginger and garlic. Cook without burning for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tamarind paste, and cook for another minute.
Add the shrimp and stir well to ensure they are fully coated with the seasoning. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the shrimp have turned pink and are cooked through. Add the sugar snap peas and cook for 1 minute.
Squeeze the lemon juice over and sprinkle on the zest, peanuts and sesame seeds. Serve with the kamut.