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Edamame is young soybeans. This delicious vegetable is usually served in sushi bars, Japanese and Chinese restaurants as a snack.
Chefs consider edamame the equivalent of a European bread basket. So how to choose, prepare and season such a product correctly?
What is edamame?
The first written mention of edamame in Japan dates back to 1275 – this is a letter of thanks from a certain monk Nichiren for the beans granted to the temple. It is logical to assume that the product was known to Japanese chefs long before the appearance of this document.
In China, unripe soy has been used in folk medicine and culinary practise since the 15th century. Nowadays edamame is immature soybeans boiled in water or steamed directly in pods, a popular snack of Japanese cuisine for beer and other Western alcoholic beverages.
In East Asia, soy is the main source of protein. Edamame can act as a snack, vegetable dish, as well as a base for sweets. This is just one of the varieties of soy dishes, but unlike miso or tempeh, it is not pre-processed.
Edamame has a lot in common with other legumes (beans, peas, lentils). But most of all, this vegetable resembles green peas.
Is edamame actually healthy?
Edamame beans are a real storehouse of vitamins, minerals and other essential trace elements. This vegetable has a beneficial effect on the human body:
- normalize blood pressure levels
- regulate the volume of cholesterol in the bloodstream
- minimize the risk of developing heart and vascular pathologies
- increase the level of hemoglobin in the blood, eliminate anemia
- cleanse the body of toxins
- strengthen the skeleton and reduce the risk of developing bone pathologies
The use of this product in dosed amounts can not harm your body, but will only be a great way to maintain a healthy diet.
Should you use frozen or fresh edamame?
Which edamame is better to use for cooking – fresh or frozen? Both vegetables will be equally nutritious and beneficial for your body. The time of preparation will also not vary much.
However, you can keep the frozen product for a longer period, but before cooking, you should definitely defrost the edamame at room temperature.
Fresh product does not require defrosting, but it is stored less in the refrigerator. Experts note that it is quite difficult to find fresh edamame in grocery stores, so it is still worth giving preference to frozen vegetables.
How to choose edamame?
When choosing edamame, you should pay attention to the appearance of the pods. The most high-quality of them are medium in size, and evenly colored in bright green surface.
Also you can see the absence of any damage and dark spots. In some cases pay attention to the size of the pods – the larger they are, the more beans you can find there. The best beans are sold in vegetable stores or on farms.
Try not to buy edamame from unverified sellers. Such beans can be oversaturated with pesticides.
How to cook edamame
The technology of preparing edamame is quite simple. To do this, you will need the following ingredients:
- frozen edamame – 450 g
- flaky sea salt – 1 tablespoon
- soy sauce – to taste
Step-by-step technology of preparation:
- Prepare the water and add salt to a large saucepan.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil with bubbles.
- Add edamame to boiling water. Cook the beans for about 5-7 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Pour all vegetables into a colander.
How to eat edamame
Edamame is rich in protein and dietary fiber. You can eat steamed or boiled edamame beans by themselves, prepare various sauces, and add as a main ingredient to fried rice or salad.
Professional chefs prefer vegetables with sauces and spices, as they have a bright taste. However, health experts recommend eating edamame without unnecessary additives.
How to season edamame
You can improve the taste of Japanese edamame by simply choosing the right spices and seasonings. Professional chefs will offer the following options:
Classic way. Here you should use traditional sea salt in combination with the famous Asian rice vinegar.
Delicious way. This mixture of spices will allow you to give edamame a piquant taste. Just mix the minced garlic and grated parmesan.
Mexican way. It is a spicy mixture of seasonings and herbs. Just mix lime juice, chili pepper, cilantro and wasabi. The taste of edamame with such seasonings will turn out to be simply fiery!
Citrus way. This mixture of spices is suitable for those who like sour combinations of products. Just mix lemon zest, lime juice, salt, and orange zest.
Malaysian way. Such a mixture of spices will give edamame a slightly spicy taste. Mix the sriracha sauce, some wasabi and fresh herbs.
What tastes good with edamame?
Edamame is a versatile product that you can use in various variations. Professional chefs suggest paying attention to the following combinations:
Edamame sauce with goat cheese and spicy Pepitas. This is a bold combination that will not leave you indifferent. Pepitas (fried and salted pumpkin seeds), as well as the most delicate goat cheese give the sauce an unusual taste.
Just cook the edamame until tender.
Next, combine sour cream, goat cheese, pepitas, adobo sauce, lemon juice, garlic and salt. Mix everything until smooth, and then place in a bowl.
Chilled Edamame soup with ginger. Making edamame soup is a great idea. This vegetable reveals its taste with the help of a successful combination with broth.
Chilled Edamame soup – simple mix of onions and edamame. Just boil the broth, put thawed edamame there, and then finely chopped onion or dry garlic. Cool and serve.
Creamy risotto with Edamame. Risotto is a dish in which you can add a variety of vegetables and edamame is no exception. Follow Jeff Smith’s recipe to get an excellent result.
Prepare the necessary ingredients: rice, garlic, chicken broth, and olive oil. Prepare a delicate creamy risotto and add the cooked unsalted edamame on top.
How do you eat frozen edamame?
Frozen soybeans are quick and easy to prepare, as they are usually pre-cooked or at least blanched. You should peel the beans and put them in boiling and slightly salted water.
After three minutes, remove the edamame from the water and sprinkle it with salt, soy sauce and spices. Chili powder, oregano, and garlic are perfect.
The technology of preparing fresh edamame is radically different – you cook it together with the pods for 5-7 minutes in a saucepan with salted water.
How do you eat edamame beans as a snack?
You can make tasty snack from edamame beans. To do this, prepare the following ingredients:
- edamame pods – 500 g
- sesame oil – 1 tsp
- butter – 40 g
- soy sauce – 40 ml
- garlic – 2 cloves
- chili pepper – ½ pcs
- sesame seeds – for serving
Step-by-step cooking technology:
- Boil the edamame beans for 2 minutes.
- Heat a frying pan, drop sesame oil on it and melt half the butter.
- Add finely chopped garlic and chili pepper, fry for 30 seconds.
- Add the pre-boiled edamame beans and the rest of the butter.
- Stir, pour in the soy sauce and cook, stirring, until the moisture evaporates.
- To serve, sprinkle the snack with sesame seeds.
Japanese edamame seasoning recipe
You can easily make a seasoning for Japanese edamame. So you can improve the taste of the bean and make it brighter. As an affordable option, professional chefs advise you to pay attention to a mixture of spicy herbs and classic seasonings. For example, mix vinegar, bay leaf, cloves, and basil.
Also pay attention to natural additives: coriander, ground black pepper, oregano, adjika, and garlic salt. There are many easy recipes for edamame seasonings, the main thing is to skillfully combine the tenderness of herbs and the sharpness of spices.
Roy’s edamame recipe
To repeat the edamame recipe from Roy’s restaurant, prepare the following list of ingredients:
- kosher salt – 8 ounces
- shichimi – 3 ounces
- sugar – 1 ounce
- edamame – 1/2 pound
- Roy seasoning – 1 tablespoon
Step-by-step technology of preparation:
- Boil the water and cook the edamame. The beans inside should become soft.
- Drain the water and rinse the edamame. Sprinkle with Roy seasoning and kosher salt.
- Serve warm and grate cheese on the beans.
Spicy edamame recipe sriracha
Edamame in sriracha sauce is one of the most popular recipes for Asian snacks. To prepare such a dish, you will need the following ingredients:
- butter – 1 tablespoon
- garlic – 1 clove
- sriracha sauce – 2 tablespoons
- white vinegar – 1 tablespoon
- edamame (beans) – 2 cups
- salt – to taste
- black pepper – to taste
Step-by-step technology of preparation:
- Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan, add the edamame beans. Boil for 5-6 minutes.
- Mix together the sriracha sauce and vinegar in a bowl.
- Heat a small dry skillet over medium heat, add butter and garlic. Fry for 1 minute until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add the sriracha sauce and stir. Also put the edamame beans in the pan and mix well again until the pods are evenly coated. Season and serve.
Spicy garlic edamame recipe
Edamame with garlic is a great option for a gluten free and vitamin C-rich healthy snack. For such a dish, prepare the following ingredients:
- garlic – 4 cloves
- edamame – 450 grams
- ground black pepper – to taste
- olive oil – 1 tablespoon
- salt – to taste
Step-by-step technology of preparation:
- Chop the garlic and heat it together with the butter in a frying pan. Continue to fry, stirring, so that the garlic does not stick to the bottom.
- When the garlic becomes translucent and then lightly browned, add the frozen edamame beans. Mix thoroughly.
- Fry the dish for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are defrosted and begin to brown.
- Open the pods with your teeth and enjoy the taste of beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the beans hot.
Edamame with soy and sesame sauce recipe
This recipe will help you get a bright green edamame with a nutty taste and an incredible smell. Just prepare the following ingredients:
- edamame (beans) – 150 grams
- sesame oil – 2 tablespoons
- soy sauce – 1 teaspoon
- salt – to taste
- black pepper – to taste
- red chili flakes – to taste
Step-by-step technology of preparation:
- Boil the edamame beans (in pods) for five minutes. Rinse with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Heat a frying pan over high heat, add sesame oil. When the oil is heated, add the edamame and fry for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the soy sauce, cook stirring until the sauce evaporates.
- Season with salt and red pepper flakes. Serve cold or hot.
Edamame Salad Recipe with Sambal Oelek
This salad with edamame will be an excellent variation of a romantic dinner. Just prepare the necessary ingredients list:
- quorn vegan fillets – 2
- baby kale – 2 bunches
- edamame beans – 150g
- cucumber – 1
- olive oil – 2 tablespoons
- sesame oil – 1 tablespoon
- soy sauce – 2 tablespoons
- lime juice – to taste
- sambal oelek – 1 teaspoon
- cherry tomatoes – 200g
- fresh coriander – 1 bunch
Step-by-step technology of preparation:
- Fry the vegan Quorn fillet for about 10 minutes until golden brown.
- Cut the cabbage leaves and put them on a plate.
- Cut the cucumber into thin slices. Add cucumber and edamame to the cabbage leaves.
- Next, make the dressing: mix all the ingredients, add oil and salt.
- Prepare Pico de Gallo. To do this, peel the onion and garlic. Also finely chop the chili peppers, tomatoes, cilantro, onion and garlic. Add lime juice.
What to serve edamame with?
Edamame is a classic snack in all cafes and restaurants in Japan. However, you can combine these beans with various foods. Edamame goes well with vegetables, rice, noodles, casserole, mashed potatoes, stews, salads and soups.
You can also use these beans as an additive in miso soup, as well as for home-made hummus. Professional chefs also advise you to cook a popular pasta, 100% consisting of edamame.
Main tips
So that the preparation and selection of edamame is not difficult for you, follow the advice from professional chefs:
- Do not use edamame pods for cooking your dishes, they are unsuitable for nutrition.
- To make it easier for yourself to prepare, immediately buy edamame without pods in frozen form.
- To get edamame with a golden crust, use a special wok pan.
- Always boil the edamame a little to soften the fibers of this vegetable. So later you can add such a vegetable to any dish.
- Before cooking, make sure that you do not have an individual intolerance to soy. Edamame largely consists of this component.
- Do not abuse the use of edamame beans, as they can cause allergies.
Final thoughts
Edamame is a popular vegetable in Asian countries. You can cook it in various ways, the main thing is to choose the right beans and spices for them.
Don’t be afraid to add such an unusual vegetable as edamame to your diet and surprise your family with this vegan snack!