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Mushy peas
Soft, savoury marrowfat peas from the chippy
No fish and chip shop in the North of England is complete without a tub of mushy peas, and in Nottingham and Leeds they are sold with mint sauce from pea stalls at fairs. Dried marrowfat peas are soaked overnight with a little bicarbonate of soda, which softens their skins, and then simmered until they break down into a thick, savoury green mash. Chef's tip: rinse the soaked peas very well, or the bicarbonate leaves a soapy taste.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put the 9 oz dried marrowfat peas and 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda in a large bowl, pour over the 4 ¼ cups boiling water, stir and leave to soak overnight; they will double in size.
720 minStep 2: Drain and rinse the peas thoroughly under cold water.
2 minStep 3: Put them in a pan with the 2 ½ cups water, bring to the boil and skim off any foam. Simmer gently for 30–40 minutes, stirring often, until the peas collapse into a thick mush.
40 minStep 4: Season with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp sugar and beat in the ½ oz vegan butter or butter if using. A common mistake is adding salt at the start, which keeps the skins tough.
2 minStep 5: Serve hot with fish and chips or a pie, with a splash of 1 tbsp mint sauce sauce.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 170 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mushy peas take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of bicarbonate of soda?
- Baking powder, three times the amount (the bake may taste slightly different).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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