A snow pea is a pea variety with a flat, thin, edible pod harvested while the peas inside are still tiny, before they swell and fill out the pod. Also called mangetout ("eat it all" in French) or Chinese pea pods, it is grown mainly in China, Southeast Asia, and along the U.S. Pacific coast.
Because the pod is so thin, snow peas cook fast - a quick stir-fry, blanch, or saute is enough to keep them crisp and bright green; overcooking turns them dull and limp. They are a stir-fry and noodle-dish staple in Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean cooking, typically paired with garlic, ginger, and soy sauce, and also show up raw or lightly cooked in Western salads and pasta dishes.
Snow peas differ from snap peas mainly in the pod: snow peas are flat and eaten before the peas develop, while snap peas have rounder, thicker pods eaten after the peas fill in. Trim the stem end and pull the string along the seam before cooking.