At first glance, these tender greens would seem too fragile to be blasted by dry, high oven heat, but trust me—they char up beautifully. It only takes a minute for them to get there, making this an easy, near-instantaneous side dish. The sauce is a thinner, limier riff on a traditional Thai-inspired peanut sauce—more spicy, savory, and acidic than sweet.
Make sure to acquire the more mature, leafy pea shoot—sometimes called “pea tips” or “pea leaves”—and not the delicate, thin, spindly microgreen. I’ve always had luck finding them in Chinatown, either in bulk or by the bag. I’ve also been able to find them at national chains like H Mart and Mitsuwa Marketplace.
4 servings
- Prepare the sauce by whisking peanut butter, coconut cream, miso, chile paste, and aminos together in a small bowl. This works best when all the ingredients are at room temperature. After the mixture is smooth and uniform, whisk in lime juice and sesame oil, again until uniform. Add the ginger, garlic, and lime zest.
- Preheat oven to 450ºF and toss the greens in a large bowl with oil, chile flakes, and salt. Make sure to coat evenly with oil.
- Lay the greens on a large baking sheet, spreading them out evenly. They should not be on top of one another.
- Roast for 8–10 minutes, shaking the pan to toss them halfway through. They should be slightly charred and crispy in spots.
- Remove from oven, allow them to cool for a minute or so, and then place them back into a large mixing bowl.
- Top with sauce, beginning with 2 tablespoons, and toss. Continue to add sauce by the tablespoon until all the greens are delicately coated. They shouldn’t be drowning. Quickly toss again once more with togarashi, roasted peanuts, lime zest, and salt.
- Serve immediately alongside remaining peanut sauce and with additional lime wedges.
- Notes: Alternatively, sauce can be made in a blender, but double the quantity. A Microplane is the best device for grating ginger, garlic, and lime zest, but the finest grade of a box grater can work as well. Sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead.
Kyle Beechey
Kyle Beechey is a New York-based writer of many things, but mostly screenplays and articles. When she’s not writing, she’s most likely running or baking.