Growing up, we ate a lot of carrots as my mom grew them in her garden. While she used lots of carrots in sauces and stews, I remember carrots most in a slightly buttery sauce with peas. One of my great aunts grew lots of peas in her garden, and we had a steady supply of fresh peas during the summer. We had homegrown carrots well into the fall and early winter as my mom kept them in the dark cellar covered with a bit of moist sand. When there were no more fresh peas, she used a can of peas to make her peas & carrots dish.
We go through a lot of carrots in our house these days (unfortunately not homegrown). And the other day I realized that I hadn’t made (or eaten) peas & carrots in a very long time. I didn’t want to make the “usual” peas and carrots in a buttery sauce, so I added a bit of sesame sauce.
Peas & Carrots in Sesame Sauce
Ingredients
- 6-7 large carrots, cut into slices
- 2 cups frozen peas, thawed
- 1 medium sized onion, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil (or a bit more)
- A few drops of agave nectar
- toasted sesame seeds
I cut the carrots into slices on an angle.
I started by sautéing the diced onion in a bit of oil. Then I added the sliced carrots. After the carrots cooked for a few minutes, I added the minced garlic. I sautéed the carrots for about 7 minutes (they were still quite firm). Then I added the peas. Next I mixed together the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, & agave nectar and added the sauce to the pan. I let everything cook for another 3-4 minutes until the liquid reduced a bit and the vegetables had absorbed the sauce. The carrots still had a bit of bite. Lastly, I added the toasted sesame seeds.
And here is the finished dish.
Questions: What is your favorite way to eat carrots? What’s your favorite way to eat peas?
Be well,
Andrea
