Step 4: Put the peas into a clean pan and add ⅔ of the water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for approximately 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until the peas are soft and creamy. Add more of the remaining water if necessary to keep the texture loose and loose The cooking time presented is a guide. Your peas may take more or less time to cook depending how long they have soaked for and how much water your peas have managed to absorb

Your peas may take more or less time to cook than the recipe specifies depending how long they have soaked for and how much water your peas have managed to absorb Expect homemade mushy peas to have a slightly murky colour compared to those comercially made. Many manufacturers disguise this natural colour by adding food colouring. I don’t advocate adding green colouring to this recipe as it serves no real purpose I cannot wait to whip up this mushy peas recipe on Bonfire Night, which we always celebrate at home. If you are looking for ideas on how to cater for Bonfire Night, read my guide. Mushy peas are dried marrowfat peas that have been soaked in water and bicarbonate of soda and then cooked until they turn soft and creamy.Prepare the peas for soaking either first thing in the morning or last thing at night so they have plenty of time to absorb the necessary water before you intend to cook them. Allow to soak for at least 6 hours, but preferably 12 Step 2: Take off the heat and leave to soak for at least 6 hours, but preferably 12. At the end of the soaking time the water will look yellow and the peas will have swelled Mushy peas cannot be made from fresh or frozen garden peas since they do not break down in the same way that marrowfat peas do. Proper mushy peas do not need to be blended or mashed. They break down to their soft and creamy consistency naturally. Why make this recipe? Without any seasoning these peas are incredibly bland. Some people add a little sugar, but I find the balance of salt, pepper and vinegar presented in the recipe card spot on. Feel free to adjust the seasoning to your personal tastes

They are usually on the menu at fish and chip shops throughout the entire of Britain but are particularly popular in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire (where they are alternatively known as Yorkshire caviar). Step 3: Drain the peas and rinse in several changes of cold water to get rid of the bicarbonate of soda You can buy mushy peas in tins, but when catering for more than just 2 people, this is neither a cost-effective, nor a particularly environmentally friendly way to proceed. Add the yellow split peas to a large heatproof bowl and cover with the boiling water. Cover and leave to soak for 24 hours. Dried marrowfat peas are normal green peas that have been left to mature and dry out on the vine before they are harvested. They contain a high proportion of starch, which lends itself to the celebrated soft and creamy texture of mushy peas.

Have you made this recipe for proper chip shop style mushy peas? I hope you enjoyed i t – please leave a rating and/ or comment to let me know what you thought.