Crispy Cornmeal Vegan Milkweed Pod Poppers
I’m sure you’ve heard of jalapeño poppers, but what about milkweed pod poppers? They’re a play on creamy stuffed jalapeños and they also have some chili relleno-like vibes. Yet they are their unique in their own delightful way. They are filled with a creamy, cashew-based mixture and fried in a cornmeal crust. The foraged wild milkweed pods have a flavor similar to a poblano pepper (with no spiciness), and a tender yet firm texture. Simply pop them into your mouth, one after another, and savor the experience of foraged deliciousness!
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How to Forage Milkweed Pod
Disclaimer- use caution when foraging wild edibles, and always be certain of your identification. While I assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information provided on this site, I can’t be responsible for the accuracy of your information. Consult multiple websites, books and local experts, and when it doubt, do without.
In addition to my general disclaimer, I would like to add that there are people who believe milkweed to be toxic. While it is my understanding that this comes from misidentification, I cannot be certain that is the case. I have eaten milkweed plenty of times with no adverse effects, but if you choose to do so please start with a smaller quantity and do you research first to decide if you believe milkweed consumption is safe.
Along the roadsides and through wild grassy fields, milkweed can be found peppering the landscape. When identified correctly and prepared properly, milkweed is an amazing plant to forage with lots of edible parts, from the shoots to the buds, and the flowers and pods. Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is a perennial plant native to North America. It has long stems that reach up to 5 feet in height with oblong leaves that grow opposite on the stem, each up to 8 inches long. The stems are covered with fine, almost fuzzy hairs. The buds and flowers look a little like fireworks and grow in long, mauve clusters. Seed pods develop in the early summer, and remind me of spiky dinosaur eggs. They are about 3-4 inches in length when fully developed. True to the name, when parts of the plant are broken milkweed tends to let out a sticky, white latex. I always quickly blanch my milkweed to remove any latex, but blanch or not milkweed should unfailingly be cooked before eating.
Many people believe that milkweed is toxic or bitter, but it is thought that belief typically comes from misidentification. Dogbane is a plant that looks somewhat like milkweed and is bitter. The possibility of mistaking dogbane for common milkweed is primarily only if foraging the shoots, as the flowers have little in common with each other and dogbane does not have pods that look anything like milkweed. If you do plan on foraging the shoots make sure to learn the difference between the two plants- a guide like this one is a great place to start.
Most guides I’ve found about eating milkweed recommend that you only eat pods that are firm and 1-2 inches in length. After that, they state that they will be overly tough. After foraging only small milkweed pods, I decided to try larger ones- pods that were 3-4 inches long- and stuff them for this recipe. I did not find them to be tough or unpleasant at all. On the contrary, with just a quick blanch to get rid of the latex, they were tender with a flavor similar to green peppers. I want to state that I have not yet done enough work with larger pods to be sure they will always be enjoyable. I picked my milkweed pods in July, and it’s possible that as the season progresses, they will become tougher. If I find that to be the case or hear from others that it is, I will modify this section. Until then, pick the milkweed pod you please and get stuffing.
Ethical Concerns with Eating Milkweed
Bring up that you’re cooking with milkweed to a nature lover, and you’re likely to get the response of, “Leave the milkweed for the monarchs”. It’s not that royalty deserves the best of nature’s bounty, but rather that the caterpillars who later turn into monarch butterflies feed exclusively on the milkweed plant. Monarch butterflies have declined over the years, and it’s thought that the removal of milkweed from urban areas may be in part responsible. Monarchs in their butterfly form also enjoy sipping nectar from milkweed flowers, and many other insects utilize milkweed as a food source.
But humans eating milkweed isn’t really a problem, especially if you harvest mindfully. Monarch caterpillars only eat the leaves of the milkweed plant, and I haven’t heard of any humans who enjoy eating milkweed leaves. When picking buds, flowers and pods, be mindful of the plants health and the insects that enjoy milkweed too and don’t take more than your share. Personally, I try not to take more than half of the flowers or pods from a plant, and make sure I have the patch of milkweed I was picking from looking well-stocked and healthy. And if you do enjoy eating milkweed, share some with your friends. Let them know that these plants are great food sources, not just for you but for the monarchs. Advocate for your regal insect friends and encourage others to allow milkweed to grow wild around their homes.
Looking for Foraged Appetizers? Try one of these!
- Vegan Foraged Stuffed Grape Leaf Recipe
- Simple Wild Garlic Recipe- Allium vineale Hummus
- Garlic Mustard and Tofu Patties
- Bloomin’ Maitake (Vegan Hen of the Woods Recipe)
- Vegetarian Chicken Nuggets
- Wild Oyster Mushroom Dumplings
- Collard Greens and Maitake Steamed Buns
- Vegan Black Trumpet Arancini (Air Fried)
- Backyard Wild Field Garlic Pancakes
- Garlic and Herb Vegan Nettle Breadsticks (Urtica dioica)
- Wild Garlic Mustard Tartlets
- Black Walnut and Maitake Mushroom Pâté
How to Make Crispy Milkweed Pod Poppers
When I see milkweed pods on the plant, large and plump, I always feel an urge to stuff and eat them. Perhaps that’s a little odd, but I swear it’s good and I’m going to walk you through how.
Prepping the pods is the majority of the work for this recipe. You first, of course, need to forage the pods. I picked healthy looking pods that were mostly about 3 inches long. You’ll want to pick between 25-35 milkweed pods. Once picked, give them a quick rinse off in the sink and set aside. Boil a pot of water and blanch the pods for a minute. They should turn a more saturated green. From the boiling water, immediately cool them by rinsing in cool water to stop the cooking.
Once cool enough to handle, it’s time to remove the seeds from the seed pod. Cut a 2-inch slit in each pod, following the natural grain of the pod. Before doing so, make sure that the pod hasn’t already broken when boiling, and if it has just use the existing break. Remove everything from the inside of the pods. Once you have removed all the insides from all the pods, it’s time to fill.
So let us make the filling really quick. You should have softened your cashews ahead of time, but if you haven’t yet just boil them for 10 minutes to do so. Blend the cashews with the other ingredients needed to make the creamy filling. To that we will be adding mined jalapeños and scallions.
When filling the milkweed pod poppers, use a spoon or a piping bag to fill the entirety of the cavity with the filling. It’s okay if you add enough that the pod doesn’t quite close, since we’ll be covering it with cornmeal. Continue filling the pods until you’ve used up either the filling or the amount of milkweed pods.
To finish up our crispy treats, we’re going to bread them in a cornmeal breading and pan-fry them in oil. Make a bowl with a plant-based milk mixture and a second with a cornmeal mixture. Dip a pod first in the milk, then in the cornmeal, and then into a skillet of hot oil. Work in batches as large as the skillet allows. Fry for a couple minutes and turn a quarter of the way. Repeat on all four sides for each of the milkweed pod poppers. They should be golden-brown and crispy. Place on a plate with a paper towel to soak up any excess oil. Repeat until your pods are all cooked and serve warm.
Crispy Cornmeal Vegan Milkweed Pod Poppers
Ingredients
- 25-35 medium-large milkweed pods
- 1 cup cashews, softened by boiling for 10 minutes and then drained
- 1 clove garlic
- 3/4 tsp. salt, divided
- ½ tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup plant-based milk, divided
- 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
- 3 scallions, chopped finely
- 2 tbsp. cornstarch
- ½ cup cornmeal
- Vegetable oil for cooking
Instructions
- Clean your milkweed pods. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the milkweed pods to the boiling water, and boil for one minute. Remove from the heat, strain, and rinse with cool water. Once cool, make a slit about 2 inches long on each pod, remove the insides of the pod, and set the pod aside. Discard the insides of the milkweed pods.
- Make the filling by combining the softened cashews, garlic, cumin, apple cider vinegar, ½ tsp. salt and ½ cup plant-based milk. Blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed so all the ingredients are incorporated. Transfer the creamy filling to a large bowl and add the chopped jalapeño and scallions. Mix and set aside.
- Carefully fill the milkweed pods by spooning the prepared filling into the blanched pods. Add as much filling as possible to each pod so they are full but not so much that they break. Set the filled pods aside and continue until all the pods are filled or all the filling is used.
- Heat a skillet with about a ¼ inch of vegetable oil on medium heat. In one bowl combine the remaining half cup of plant-based milk and cornstarch. Whisk well. In a second bowl combine the cornmeal and ¼ tsp. salt. Once your oil is hot, dip a milkweed pod in the milk bowl and then roll in the cornmeal. Place the breaded pod in the hot oil. Repeat until the skillet is filled. Fry each pod for a couple minutes until golden brown, and rotate 90 degrees. Repeat, frying and flipping until all four sides are golden and crispy. Continue in batches until all the pods are fried. Enjoy!
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