How to De-String a Pea Pod

De-stringing a pea pod gets rid of the tough fibrous end on pods that are edible or can be the first step to opening up a pea pod to get at the peas inside. This is a timeless activity that has been done since the cultivation of peas, and unless you want a mouthful of fiber every time you bite into an edible pod full of peas, this is one of the "must do" tasks before eating pea pods raw or cooking them.

Instructions

1. Grasp the pea pod in your hand with the stem pointing upward and the style, or elongated bottom of the pod, pointing downward.

2. Push your thumbnail through the pod wall beneath the style on the bottom of the pea pod. This action is very similar to pushing a thumbnail through the skin of a banana before peeling.

3. Gently pull upward and the fibrous string will begin to disengage from the pod itself.

4. Continue pulling and follow the line of the pod as you pull the string completely off.

Tips & Warnings

• If the string breaks before you've pulled all of it out, use the stem end of the pea pod and repeat the steps until it's removed.

References

• Finecooking.com: How to String a Pea Pod
• Jstor.org:Anatomy of a Green Pea, by Ralph Postiglione