Edamame in Their Shells
Instructions:
A staple at Japanese restaurants, edamame are immature
soybeans either in their pods or shelled. In their pods,
they make terrific finger food for appetizers. To eat
edamame from the pod the traditional way, hold the far
end of the pod between your teeth and pull, using your
teeth to squeeze the beans into your mouth. It’s also easy
to shell them like peanuts or peas and pluck them from
the pods.
Salt
1 pound fresh or frozen edamame in their pods
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 5 minutes
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Add the edamame, return to a boil, and cook until bright green, 3 to 5 minutes; drain. Or put them in a dish with a couple tablespoons of water, partially cover, and microwave for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on your microwave power.
- Sprinkle with salt and any of the garnishes in the following list if you like. Serve hot, warm, or chilled. (Serve with an extra bowl for the empty pods.)
- Spicy Stir-Fried Edamame.
- Flash-cooking in a skillet with chiles gives the edamame a nice kick: Use either shelled or unshelled edamame. Put 1 tablespoon neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn, 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil, the edamame, 2 tablespoons water, 3 or more Thai or other small hot fresh or dried chiles, 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns (optional), and 1 teaspoon minced garlic into a large skillet over high heat. Cover and cook, shaking the pan often, for about a minute. Remove the lid and stir-fry until softened, about 3 minutes longer. Sprinkle with salt and serve.