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Whenever I go out to eat Chinese food, I order sauteed greens as a side dish. Recently, my friend and I went to R&G Lounge in San Francisco and after flipping through the menu, we chose our meat and starch dishes, then moved on to pick our greens. Bored with my usual order of bok choy or Chinese broccoli, I looked around the room for inspiration.

My eyes landed on the table next to us where a couple were enjoying a simple meal of fried whole fish, white rice and a plate of what looked like stir-fried alfalfa sprouts. When I found out they were pea shoots, I ordered them right away.

What I got was a vegetable so fresh I could almost taste the color green. Stir-fried with garlic cloves, the wilted shoots maintained a crunch and were earthy and sweet at the same time. They were a perfect accompaniment to the strong flavors of our other dishes. My friend was so impressed that he claimed all he needed was this dish and a bowl of rice.

After that meal, I spotted pea shoots again at Out the Door at Westfield San Francisco Centre. This time, the greens were stir-fried with caramelized shallots and a bit of fish sauce, making them sweet and savory. Wanting to re-create this dish, I headed to the farmers' market.

When I asked a vendor for pea shoots, he pointed to a bunch of leafy greens with tendrils on top. Puzzled, I described what I was looking for and was told those were pea sprouts. I came home empty-handed, but determined to figure out the difference between the two.

According to Charles Phan, owner of Slanted Door and Out the Door, pea sprouts are the new tender shoots of pea plants, while pea shoots refer to the more mature, but still tender shoots with its leaves and tendrils. The term "pea shoots" is often used interchangeably in Asian cuisine because they are the same plant, just in different stages of maturation.

Traditionally, pea shoots were grown in Asia but are now harvested by local farmers because of their great taste and health benefits. They are high in protein and a good source of fiber, calcium, carotene, vitamins B1 and C and niacin.

Harvested from the snow pea plant starting in early spring, pea shoots and sprouts taste like the sweet pods we normally see in salads, stir-fries and pastas. As expected, the sprouts have an earthier flavor, while the mature shoots are simply sweet. Both can be eaten raw or lightly cooked, but remove coarse stems when using older shoots. The vegetable tastes best when eaten right away but can be wrapped up in paper towels and refrigerated for up to four days.

Pea sprouts can be grown indoors and are found year-round in many Asian grocery stores, while pea shoots are more seasonal and are now available at farmers' markets and some grocery stores. On a recent trip to Whole Foods Market, I spotted some pea shoots and picked up a bunch. During checkout, the salesperson looked at the greens and asked me what they were. Fighting the urge to launch into a lecture on what I learned, I simply replied, "Pea shoots."

Serves 2 individually, 4 as part of a meal

This recipe is from Charles Phan and is served at his restaurant, Out the Door, this time of year. Traditionally, it is part of a multi-course meal with some sort of fish or meat, but can also be enjoyed simply with a bowl of steamed rice. If using mature pea shoots with leaves, cook for a bit longer.

Instructions: Heat up a dry wok or skillet on low heat. Add oil and once it gets hot, add in shallots and cook over low heat until shallots begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until it begins to get fragrant, about 5 seconds. Stir in pea shoots, rice wine, chicken stock and fish sauce. Continue to stir pea shoots until wilted, about 1-2 minutes.

Per side-dish serving: 190 calories, 9 g protein, 26 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat (1 g saturated), 3 mg cholesterol, 359 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.