Serves: 4
Total Calories: 523

1 1/2 pounds dried split peas
2 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons water

1. Soak dried split peas overnight in water.

2. Bring to a boil, using the same water. Then simmer, covered, until peas are soft (1 1/2 to 2 hours).

3. Strain into a bowl through a fine sieve. Then stir in sugar. Return to saucepan and reheat over very low flame, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

4. Meanwhile blend cornstarch and remaining cold water to a paste. Then stir in over medium-low heat to thicken.

5. Pour into a shallow rectangular pan, to a depth of 1 inch. Let cool then refrigerate until set.

6. Cut the pudding in 1-inch cubes and pile these, pyramid fashion, on a serving platter. Garnish with maraschino cherries and serve.

NOTE: This dish, also known as Pea Cubes, Pea Jelly Squares and Green Pea Cake, is eaten like a candy with toothpicks or small dessert forks. In China, it is served in the summertime with afternoon tea.

VARIATION:
* In step 3, before returning the mixture to the saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons oil or lard then pour in the strained pea puree and stir constantly over very low heat to thicken. (Watch out for burning.) Omit the cornstarch paste. Pick up steps 5 and 6.

The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 4
Total Calories: 523
Calories from Fat: 0

More Recipes from the Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook Cookbook:
*Sweet Dishes
Almond Cookies
Almond Float I
Almond Float II
Banana Gelatin
Eight Precious Pudding
Eight Precious Pudding: Fruit and Nut Combinations
Eight Precious Pudding: Sweetened Water
Ginger Soup
Ginger Soup: Dumplings
Glazed Chestnut Balls
Glazed Whole Chestnuts
Green Pea Pudding
Honeyed Apples
Honeyed Apples: Syrup Mixture A
Honeyed Apples: Syrup Mixture B
Honeyed Apples: Syrup Mixture C
Honeyed Bananas
Honeyed Crab Apples
Hot Lotus Tea
Peking Dust I
Peking Dust II
Peking Dust: Glazed Fruit
Pineapple Gelatin
Sesame Seed Cookies
Spiced Roasted Peanuts
Steamed Pears
Steamed Red Date Cake
Steamed Sponge Cake
Sugared Chestnut Balls
Sugared Walnuts
Sweet Almond Tea I
Sweet Almond Tea II
Sweet Almond Tea III
Sweet Grapefruit Tea
Sweet Orange Tea I
Sweet Orange Tea II
Sweet Peanut Soup
Sweet Pineapple Tea
Sweet Walnut Tea
Sweetened Water
Turkish Barley Pudding
Water Chestnut Pudding