fresh peas are often eaten boiled and flavored with butter and/or spearmint as a side dish vegetable. salt is also commonly added to peas when served. fresh peas are also used in pot pies, salads and casseroles. pod peas (particularly sweet cultivars called "mangetout" and "sugar peas", or the flatter "snow peas," called "hé lán dòu", 荷兰豆 in chinese) are used in stir fried dishes, particularly those in american chinese cuisine. pea pods do not keep well once picked, and if not used quickly are best preserved by drying, canning or freezing within a few hours of harvest.