Garbanzo beans, those humble little legumes, have miraculously managed to rise within the ranks of standard beans to celebrity status. They’ve worked hard to get to the top of the heap, and considering their versatility and culinary potential, they certainly deserve their time in the spotlight. Appearing in curries, stews, salads, spreads, and breads alike, their agent must work tirelessly, securing them top billing on menus that span every cuisine across the globe. Though I’m a lifelong fan of their work, it becomes somewhat tiring to see garbanzos starring in yet another feature, week after week, month after month. After all, why should chickpeas have all the fun? There are plenty of other peas in the sea, so to speak.
Exploring the vast array of bean flours now readily available on the market, for one reason or another, I latched onto green pea flour in particular. Without ever having cooked with it prior, I plunged in blindly and ordered an entire case. Though I’ll likely have a decent supply of pea flour for a solid decade now, that wild purchase brought me on of the most delicious snack mash-ups just waiting to happen: Wasabi pea panisse.
Prepared exactly the same way as standard chickpea panisse, the hot bite of wasabi is added to the subtly sweet base of green peas. A cult classic in its traditional format, this study in flavor contrasts is only enhanced when expanded upon to include a crispy, lightly salted exterior concealing a soft, almost creamy center.
Addictive as that combination was, I couldn’t leave well enough alone. Instead of a mere sprinkling of salt, an extra layer of spice and flavor via shichimi togarashi was the cherry on top of this savory sundae. Pairing the green pea fries with an umami-packed miso aioli simply sent this snack over the top. No longer just a midnight munch, it’s a snack that could entice hordes of party goers at any function, fancy or casual. Sorry chickpeas; You’ll have to sit this one out.
And in case you’re wondering…
…Yes, they really are delightfully green on the inside!
Wasabi Pea Panisse with Miso Aioli
Prepared exactly the same way as standard chickpea panisse, the hot bite of wasabi is added to the subtly sweet base of green peas. A cult classic in its traditional format, this study in flavor contrasts is only enhanced when expanded upon to include a crispy, lightly salted exterior concealing a soft, almost creamy center. Pairing the green pea fries with an umami-packed miso aioli simply sends this snack over the top.
Ingredients
Wasabi Pea Panisse
- 4 Cups Vegetable Stock
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 – 1 1/2 Tablespoon Wasabi Paste*
- 3/4 Teaspoon Salt
- 2 1/4 Cups Green Pea Flour
- Mildly Flavored Olive Oil or Peanut Oil, for Frying
- Coarse Sea Salt
- Shichimi Togarashi (Optional)
Miso Aioli:
- 1/4 Cup Olive Oil
- 1/2 Cup Plain Greek-Style Coconut Yogurt**
- 1/4 Cup Shiro (White) Miso Paste
- 1 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Mirin
- 2 – 3 Cloves Roasted Garlic
- 1 Teaspoon Tamari or Soy Sauce
Instructions
- Lightly grease a 11 x 7-inch baking dish and set aside.
- Place the vegetable stock, oil, wasabi paste, and salt in a medium or large saucepan, and whisk thoroughly to incorporate the wasabi. Set over medium heat, and bring the liquid just to the brink of boiling. When the bubbles threaten to erupt on the surface, add in the green pea flour, whisking vigorously the whole time to prevent lumps from forming. As the mixture begins to think, you’ll need to switch to a wooden spoon to continue stirring, as it will become quite stiff in no time at all.
- Continue to cook and stir for up to 10 minutes, until the batter is thick enough to hold its shape. In my experience, this took much less time, but it will vary depending on your stove and how much moisture is in the air, so stay connected to the process at all times.
- Transfer the pea batter to your prepared pan, and smooth out the top with a spatula. Let cool completely before proceeding. If making this for a specific function, it’s helpful to prepare this a day in advance and refrigerate it overnight.
- Meanwhile, prepare the miso aioli simply by placing all of the ingredients in your blender or food processor, and puree until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Once the pea mixture has cooled and solidified into a block, turn it out onto a cutting board and slice it into fingers about 3/4 inch x 3 inches- But please don’t break out the ruler, the exact measurements aren’t critical! Heat your oil of choice in a high-sided saute pan, and set out a landing strip of paper towels nearby to rest the finished panisse on.
- When the oil is hot and shimmering, fry just a handful of panisse at a time so as not to crowd the pan. Use tongs to turn them, and cook so that each side is golden brown. Remove and drain on the paper towels, sprinkling them with salt and shichimi togarashi if desired while still hot. Serve immediately with miso aioli on the side.
Notes
*Beware of less than savory wasabi pastes that include sneaky stabilizers and curious fillers, such a milk derivatives. Wasabi pastes can vary greatly in intensity, so add it according to your tastes and the brand you have on hand. You can also use reconstituted wasabi powder in a pinch, but I’ve found that they tend to taste dusty and can never reach the same heat level.
**If you can’t get a hold of this, you can also use regular vegan yogurt, but bear in mind that the consistency of your aioli will be considerably thinner.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
40Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 38Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 174mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 1g
Oh wow I need to make these! Was jealous of something very similar but non-vegan that a friend had the other day – this would totally fill that craving!
These look great! I definitely want to try this recipe!
what a creative recipe! they look so incredibly delicious! i love finger food:)
ok I want a zillion of those sticks – they look crunchy & soft, addictive and perfect and then the dipping sauces – I like a little food with my vat of dip :)
Wow that looks good and something so different. By the way I haven’t been able to leave comments with my blogger account on wordpress blogs. It is wanting me to use my wordpress account. It’s me though from dreaminitvegan.
these look absolutely heavenly! i’m a huge fan of chickpeas(obviously), but these pea panisse just took the baton away from the garbanzo. i imagine the combo with wasabi takes the flavor to the next level, especially when dipped in the miso aioli. i am in aww of your skill.
This looks so interesting!!! Bookmarking. I might make it with chickpea flour first, because I’m not sure where to get the pea flour (probably would have to order it online).
It’s mostly likely easiest to order online, but if you have any Asian markets nearby, you can check there too. Green pea flour is a key ingredient in a certain type of cookie traditional made for the Chinese New Year (http://www.lingzie.com/2010/02/07/green-pea-cookies-recipe-for-chinese-new-year/).
Oh do! I have have a whole Chinatown! (Not the very second because I’m outta country, but when I’m back.)
I didn’t realise green pea powder was used in Chinese cooking/baking – I was thinking about what I had seen in the isle of organic food shops (which I browse until I know just about everything that is there) and they don’t sell it. But Chinese shops… I might have easily missed something there so I’ll give that a try!
Fantastic, hopefully you’ll have some luck searching there! Let me know what you find so that I can better direct others, too. :)
I’m pretty sure I will find it. You can get just about anything in London. Will report back & thanks again for the tip (might try to make those Chinese cookies too).
Those look so delicious! I am not so fond of wasabi,but could maybe substitute that with something else.
Sure! You could always use some dark miso paste instead, like red miso or barley miso, and just omit the salt.
I’ve always wanted to play around with green pea flour–definitely making this soon! Love the color.
What a delicious looking appetiser (though it would definitely become my main :P)
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
This looks great! I won’t find green pea flour where I live though ;)
Do you think I could make it myself in the vita mix?
Just wondering…
As long as you have the dry grinding canister, you can absolutely turn dried split peas into pea flour! Just freeze the peas first so that they’re less likely to gum up the blades, and process no more than about a cup – a cup and a half at a time, to make sure everything gets pulverized. Sieve out the remaining bigger pieces before using.
this is such a fantastic looking pretty green snacks! i hear you about chickpeas:)) i’ve used other lentil/bean/pea flours before. but chickpea is just so easily available and acceptable to the taste buds. i need to pick upp some black eyed pea, black chickpea, and other gram flours on my next trip to the indian store. and make these with the other flours.
Oh wow! If I replace the wasabi with a bit of miso, I just might be able to get the twins to eat their peas! Fantastic! Thank you!
Wow this is simply stunning! I love dippable snacks and in this case you\ve made both the dipper and dippee look super delicious :)
I need to make these!!!
NOW your talking girl! They look and sound scrumptious to say the very least. As a savoury girl, I adore flavour combinations like these. Glad you shared a somewhat underutilised legume flour to show us how delicious it can be and to encourage us all into messing about with unfamiliar products. I know that I will be up to my arms in poor David’s legume flour bins on shopping day whilst trying to explain the umami heaven that awaits my endeavours when I get home…best take him this recipe… he won’t need more explanation! Cheers for an inspiring post Hannah and one that is going to get Steve savouring peas in more than their frozen format :)
I spy with my little eye, a definite Japanese bent to your thoughts! ;) xoxo
P.S. Sincere apologies for the email delay! Have been caught up with preparing to leave Chicago, packing, skyping parents for the first time in ages, and now am writing this (offline) on the plane to Utah. I’m not sure what my internet access will be like there, but rest assured I’ll be thinking of you and sending squillions of happy thoughts! xo
Oh my, these look SO delicious – such fabulous party food!
Do you think you’d get away with frying them the day before and then re-heating them in the oven on the day?
A houseful of guests and boiling oil makes me nervous just thinking about it!
Good thinking! You can certainly fry them in advance, but cook them just a shade lighter than you would want for the finished panisse so that they don’t over-brown or burn on the second heating. When you’re ready to serve, I would pop them into the oven at 400 for maybe 10 – 15 minutes, until crispy on the outside and hot throughout.
Very interesting recipe. You’ve done things I’ve never even heard of.
Hmmm…I’ve never seen green pea flour for sale, but I love using chick pea flour so I bet I’d love green pea too! I will have to check our Indian grocer the next time I’m there. I love your recipe ideas!
By the way, I just saw your toasted-marshmellow ice cream recipe on Chocolate Covered Katie – another genius idea! Brilliant.
I’m going to have to buy a case of green pea flour to sit down next to my bag of chickpea flour! I would feel too bad to leave such a cute legume out :P
You are so inventive! I’ve never seen green pea flour but you bet I’ll be on the lookout for it now! I would definitely have fun with that…this looks delicious!
This looks wonderful! I’ve never seen green pea flour before. wonder if I’ll be able to find it at a health food store. Love the miso aioli sauce too. I can imagine that both make a perfect match! would taste absolutely perfect for a dinner party snack!
Wow, those look amazing! I hadn’t even heard of green pea flour, but will have find some now!
Oh lovely. I already know that the chickpea sticks will taste fabulous because it reminds me of a split pea snack that is made here. The dip is what caught my fancy. it looks awesome
Wow these look delicious! What a creative dish, adding this to my must make list.
I think this is a great and healthy snack.It is less complicated to make than I thought. What other key ingredient do you think would also be best for this recipe?
I’m hungry now :)! Well written recipe Hannah -> bookmarking immediately. My vegetarian friend will surely appreciate this! Thanks.
I’ve never heard of a panisse, but they’re right up my alley! I wonder what the result would be of roasting them to crisp up the outsides instead of frying…
I’d also never heard of these or green pea flour, but I had half a bag of dried peas in my cupboard and I decided to try grinding them in my vitamix and it worked great! The vitamix made very quick work of the peas. So if anyone can’t find green pea flour, or if it’s very expensive in your area, you might look for whole dried green peas at your Indian market and make your own.
I’ll be making these again and again–thanks!
Good stuff. I made it last weekend. Thank you Hannah for recipe which goes so good with beer on Saturday movie night at home:)
[…] Is there anything that chickpeas can’t do? They’re the Swiss army knife of legumes, seamlessly working their way into dishes sweet and savory, from breakfast to midnight snacks, as the bold feature or silent base. Fresh, dried, or ground, every form of this humble bean opens up new culinary possibilities, each more innovative than the last. Of course, many of the best preparations are those tried-and-true formulas, having withstood the test of time through the hands of countless cooks. Such is the case for socca, alternately known as farinata depending on who you ask, and is the meal-sized enlargement of the crisply fried, well-salted bar snack, panisse. […]