• Yield: Serves 4 to 6


Sweet, crunchy snap peas get an Asian burst of flavor when sauteed with soy sauce and scallions and a nice zesty kick from the red chili flakes. I love the sweet mild flavor of whole red pearl onions. Their small size and color complements the bright-green fresh snap peas and adds to the presentational appeal of the dish. I always add snap peas toward the end of the cooking process to help them retain their crunchiness.

  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil

  • 4 cloves garlic, sliced

  • 2 scallions, finely chopped

  • 1 tablespoon red chili flakes

  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce

  • 8 to 10 ounces snap peas, trimmed

  • 8 to 10 baby carrots, trimmed and peeled

  • 4 ounces red pearl onions

  • Salt to taste

Heat the sesame oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the garlic, scallions, red chili, and soy sauce and cook for 1 minute until the flavors are well combined. Reduce the heat and add the snap peas, carrots, onions, and salt. Stir and cook covered, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of water if required.

Serve hot.


Excerpted from Indian Harvest. Text and recipes copyright © Vikas Khanna 2015. Photographs copyright © Vikas Khanna and Michael Swamy 2015. Published by Bloomsbury USA, reprinted with permission.

Vikas Khanna
Vikas Khanna is a chef, restaurateur, food writer, filmmaker and host of the TV show "MasterChef India." He is the author of several cookbooks, including Flavors First: An Indian Chef's Culinary Journey. He is the founder of Cooking for Life and SAKIV organizations, which host events in support of relief efforts and awareness issues. Khanna has received several awards, including the Access to Freedom Award from SATH and The Shining Star Award from Just One Break, Inc. The documentary series "Holy Kitchens" was based on his journey to discover the spiritual foods that create shared identity.