毛豆 Edamame Recipe

Bring water to a boil

In a medium pot, bring 4 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt to the water; this seasons the edamame as it cooks and raises the boiling point slightly.

Blanch the edamame

Add 1 cup of edamame (fresh or frozen) in pods to the boiling water. Return to a boil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until pods are tender and the beans inside yield easily when squeezed. Use the shorter time (3 minutes) for a firmer bite, the longer time (5 minutes) for fully tender beans.

Shock in ice water

While the edamame cooks, prepare a bowl of ice water. Using a slotted spoon or a fine mesh sieve, immediately transfer the cooked edamame to the ice water to stop cooking and preserve bright green color. Let rest 1 minute, then drain thoroughly.

Dry and season

Toss the drained edamame briefly in a bowl to remove excess water. While still slightly damp, sprinkle 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or flaky finishing salt over the pods and toss so salt clings to the surface.

Optional flavored finish

If using optional flavorings: combine 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tsp chili flakes (or shichimi togarashi), 1/2 tsp lemon or lime juice and 1 minced garlic clove in a small bowl. Warm the minced garlic very briefly (10–15 seconds) in the microwave or in a small skillet over low heat with the sesame oil to take the raw edge (optional). Drizzle the mixture over the drained edamame and toss gently to coat evenly.

Serve

Serve the edamame warm or at room temperature. To eat, hold a pod at one end, squeeze or bite the beans out of the pod with your teeth into your mouth; discard pods. Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 3 days and reheated briefly or served cold.