01
Snow Peas
10.01 cup : 1 cup
Flat pods, nearly interchangeable
10.0
snap peas substitute
for frying.
Frying snap peas means oil at 350-400°F where surface starch can blister and the pod wall hits the Maillard window before the interior collapses. Below 340°F they bleed water, drop the oil temperature 30°F, and turn limp. Substitutes are graded on smoke-point compatibility, on whether their skin can carry a crust without splitting, and on how much free water they shed during the first 20 seconds — the moment that decides crispness or sogginess.
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adjustment for frying
Use 1:1 cups, dry pods thoroughly — frying-grade moisture targets are below 2 g surface water per 100 g. Snow peas blister in 45 seconds at 375°F vs 60 seconds for snap peas because the flat profile gives more skin contact with oil. Pull at first sign of color.
02
Green Beans
5.01 cup : 1 cup
Similar snap, blanch briefly
5.0
adjustment for frying
Swap 1:1, but pat dry and dust with cornstarch — green beans carry 4 g surface water per 100 g, enough to drop oil temperature 25°F on entry. Fry 90 seconds at 375°F until skin blisters. Skip the blanch this time; raw beans crisp better than parcooked.
03
Celery
5.01 cup : 1 cup
Crunchy and fresh, works in stir-fry raw
5.0
adjustment for frying
Use 1:1 cups, cut 2-inch matchsticks, dredge in cornstarch. Celery's stringier vascular bundles can shatter into oil and splatter, so fry 60 seconds at 360°F in small batches. Texture lands closer to a tempura crunch than the original snap, but the lens-friendly crisp is real.
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04
Zucchini
5.01 cup : 1 cup
Cut into sticks, quick cook to keep crunch
5.0
adjustment for this dish
Cut into 1/4-inch coins, salt 15 minutes, blot. Zucchini's 95% water content makes 350°F oil drop 40°F if added wet, killing crust formation. Fry 90 seconds at 375°F. Crust holds, but interior stays softer than snap peas — better in tempura than dry stir-fry.