Recipe: Wasabi Peas

It took a bit of searching, but I finally found this recipe on -- believe it or not -- someone's webpage from Scotland!!! Wasabi peas are a Japanese snack.

Wasabi, Japanese "horseradish" (it's not botanically related to horseradish, but has a similar hot "bite") is sold in small tins in Japanese markets. You can also order it online and sometimes find it in health food stores. Wasabi is the stuff that's mixed with water to become the hot green paste served with sushi and sashimi.

This recipe also calls for tahini (sesame paste), which is sold in jars and cans in health food stores.

Wasabi Peas

For Roasted Peas
3 cups dried, whole peas
1-1/2 cups mirepoix (diced celery, carrots and white onion)
3 tbsp olive oil
spices to taste

1. Soak your beans overnight, rinse, drain and cook in fresh water with the onion and celery until tender (times vary, depending on the bean used). When they are finished cooking, you should have approximately 6 cups of beans.
2. Coat a baking sheet with the olive oil, add the cooked beans and toss them in the oil until they are well-coated.
3. Slow-roast in a 200 F oven for 4-8 hours, stirring every 1/2 hour or so. Remove from the oven. Toss with the salt and spices.

For the Wasabi Coating
Mix the following
4 teaspoons wasabi powder
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1. Coat hot roasted peas in the paste and return to oven for 10 minutes, or until the aroma becomes very powerful.
2. Double or triple the seasoning recipe as required, or simply experiment using the proportions.

[Original recipe's comment] Yeeha! Seems like quite a long drawn-out process, though.