EdamameEdamame or edamame bean is a preparation of immature soybeans in the pod, found in the cuisine of Taiwan, China, Japan, Indonesia and Hawaii. The pods are boiled or steamed and served with salt.
Outside East Asia, the dish is most often found in Japanese restaurants and some Chinese restaurants but it also has found popularity elsewhere as a healthy food item. In the United States it is often sold in bags in the frozen food section of grocery stores.
The Japanese name, edamame is used commonly to refer to the dish. Edamame is a popular side dish at Japanese izakaya restaurants with local varieties being in demand, depending on the season. Salt is a typical condiment for edamame.
Preparation
To effectively harvest edamame the pods should be picked by hand and not by machine to avoid stems and leaves. Green soybeans in the pod are picked before they ripen in order to prepare edamame. The ends of the pod may be cut before boiling or steaming.
Then the pods are boiled in water, steamed or microwaved. The most common preparation uses salt for taste. The salt may either be dissolved in the boiling water before introducing the soybean pods, or it may be added after the pods have been cooked. Fresh edamame should be blanched first before being frozen.
Nutrition Content
Edamame beans are "a soybean that can be eaten fresh and are best known as a snack with a nutritional punch".
Edamame and all preparations of soybeans are rich in
carbohydrates,
protein,
dietary fiber, and micronutrients, particularly
folates, manganese, and
vitamin K.
Edamame beans contain higher levels of abscisic acid, sucrose, and protein than other types of soybeans, and may contain carotenoids.
Recipes Using Edamame see
Here and
Here and
Here.
