“Mastodon Pea” is the name coined by Alan Bergo for the gargantuan legume of the Kentucky Coffee Tree. When collected early in the season, the outer skin of these peas are tender enough to be edible, making preparation a breeze. They’re easy to harvest, easy to cook, and even easier eat. If you can’t find mastodon peas yourself, you can make this recipe with their closest flavor twin: edamame.
“this looks good” -me, because it does
Ingredients
1 cup shelled fresh mastodon peas
OR 1 cup shelled edamame
1/2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp miso
1 tsp sesame seeds
Preparation
Bring a pot of water to a boil, and add the shelled mastodon peas. Boil for 20 minutes, then drain the peas and discard the water. Boil a second pot of water, and cook the peas for an additional 20-30 minutes. Drain peas and pat dry.*
In a small bowl, whisk together maple syrup, soy sauce, and miso until smooth.
Brown the cooked peas in a dry pan set over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Remove the pan from heat and pour in the the sauce, mixing quickly to coat the peas in the sticky sauce.
Serve the peas as an appetizer, or add them to poke bowls and grain salads.


*Notes
-If you’re wondering why you have to cook the peas twice, check out Forager Chef’s blog about mastodon pea preparation
-If you’re using shelled edamame, skip the first step - they don’t need to be boiled.
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