Edamame (Japanese soybeans), the big soybeans. This eye-catching vegetable is usually served at sushi shops and Japanese or Chinese restaurants as an appetizer, on par with the European equivalent of basketbread. In East Asia, edamame has been used for more than 200 years as a major source of protein. Edamame is consumed as a snack, vegetable dish, soup ingredient, or processed into a sweet dish. As a snack, edamame still wrapped in the skin is boiled in salt water, then the soybean seeds are removed from the skin directly into the mouth using your fingers.
Ingredients
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450 g of fresh, frozen edamame can also be used.
Keep in mind that frozen edamame is usually cooked through so all you have to do is thaw it
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Sea salt
Table salt can also be used
- Japanese soy sauce for dipping
Step
Step 1. Choose the desired edamame
There are many different options available, from frozen, cooked and frozen edamame, as well as fresh. If you're lucky enough to find fresh edamame at a nearby market, pick it up right away! Other variations are also good to use.
Step 2. Prepare the water
Some edamame experts will tell you that the only way to cook edamame is to boil it in salt water. Depending on individual tastes and dietary needs, you may not use salt to cook them. The recommended amount of salt is about tbsp for 450 g of edamame, for salt lovers, and 1 tsp or less for those who don't like salt too much. Add the salt to a large saucepan filled with of the water.
Step 3. Boil the water
Boil water until large bubbles appear on the surface (rolling boil), make sure the water is not too boiling.
Step 4. Enter edamame
When bubbles appear on the surface of the water, add the edamame handful by handful. If you add all of the edamame together, you run the risk of burns from the splashes of water.
Step 5. Calculate the cooking time of the edamame
For frozen edamame, the boiling time is between 4-5 minutes. For fresh edamame, test one soybean after cooking for 5-6 minutes and measure for firmness. Fresh young edamame will cook within 3 minutes. Edamame should remain firm, but soft enough for the teeth. Edamame that tastes soggy means it's been cooked too long.
Step 6. Remove the pan from the stove
Remove the entire contents of the pan through a sieve. The pot will give off a lot of steam so don't position your face directly above the filter.
Step 7. Sprinkle salt for taste
Some people like to add a sprinkling of salt over hot edamame after cooking it, but this step depends on taste.
Step 8. Place the cooked edamame in the refrigerator to cool
Although this step is not a mandatory part of the preparation, most people prefer to enjoy edamame cold rather than hot. The recommended time for cooling is 1-2 hours in the refrigerator.
Step 9. Done
Tips
- Instead of boiling the edamame in water, use a steamer basket to steam it. The edamame will cook, but it won't contain as much water as boiled edamame so it will feel lighter.
- Buy cooked edamame that has been frozen. Instead of boiling it, you can place the edamame in a heatproof dish and warm it up in the microwave.
- Try other soy products! Fresh edamame can be paired with tofu, Japanese soy sauce, or miso soup.
- Replace potato chips with edamame. The salty/savory taste of edamame goes well with beer for a Sunday snack while watching football.
Warning
- Don't look away from the stew! The water in the pot may overflow, turning off the stove's heat and/or causing concentrated liquid to build up under the stove. When the water in the pot starts to boil, it is recommended to immediately reduce the heat of the stove to medium.
- Don't overcook the edamame. Soggy edamame means it has been cooked too long.
