Millet: focus on health

From experience, there are many people who get chills at the mere mention of yellow peas and recall their childhood memories of going to school with disgust. It has to be said that the cooks involved in the student catering of the 1980s and 1990s were, unfortunately, not really great at preparing this incredibly healthy crop either as a main course or as a soup. But it's time to get to the bottom of all the prejudices and misconceptions surrounding yellow peas and give this unique vegetable another chance.

But what is a yellow pea?

To get you in the mood right from the start, let's start by saying that, as incredible as it may sound, yellow peas are actually green peas. This is because the seeds of ripe green peas are dried and hulled after picking and then naturally split into two hemispherical parts. These two parts are in fact the two petiole leaves. The resulting seeds are then graded and packs of seeds of roughly the same size, which are also found on the shelves of shops, are produced. Because of this, yellow peas are also known as dry peas or half peas.

It is of historical interest that Mendel, an Austrian-born monk and botanist, who is credited with the most important findings in biological heredity, established his later epoch-making rules for the study of peas in his experiments, which are still considered the cornerstone of heredity today.

Yellow peas: the leader in healthiest foods

Like all legumes, yellow peas are rich in minerals, with high levels of calcium, potassium, zinc, iron, phosphorus and manganese, as well as fibre. It also has a high vitamin content, with vitamins B1, B2, E, folic acid and biotin. The good news for vegetarians is that yellow peas are probably the only plant that contains all the vitamins found in meat, so they are perfectly adequate for the human body. However, doctors and dieticians recommend it not only for this reason, but also because it is one of the most useful foods during pregnancy, contributing greatly to the development and healthy growth of the foetus and even helping to close the fallopian tubes and thus the development of the spine. This is why it has such a positive effect on practically the whole body, for example in terms of regulating blood pressure and cholesterol levels, that it is considered one of the healthiest foods in the world.

Uses and preparation

It is very versatile, as it can be used in soups, stews, salads and pâtés, but it is also an excellent ingredient for curries and other one-dish dishes. Although few people know this, it is also an excellent thickener for dishes. A useful tip is to soak the peas at least overnight before cooking, just like dry beans and lentils, to soften them. So before you start preparing it in any form, don't skip this step!

KIOSK offers yellow peas

In light of the above, yellow peas are of course also a must for KIOSK. So if you're in the mood and decided to give this particularly healthy legume another chance, choose our autumn/winter menu with our yellow pea stew, made even more irresistible with curry and ginger.