Pea Shoots Tendrils

The showpiece microgreen — the one with the most substantial flavour, the most striking form, and the one that turns up at premium prices on smart restaurant plates. Sweet, intensely pea-like, with the curling tendrils that give it its character.

Unlike the smaller microgreens that sit lightly as a garnish, pea shoots are a proper ingredient. Substantial enough to fill a salad, sturdy enough to go into a stir-fry at the last moment, and elegant enough to finish a plate. In Chinese cooking they are dow miu, a spring delicacy in their own right.

The trick most growers miss: they regrow. Cut leaving a couple of centimetres of stem and a second flush arrives within seven to ten days, effectively doubling the yield from one sowing. The seeds are too large for a jar, so use a shallow tray, and soak them overnight before sowing or germination will be patchy.