Bring a medium saucepan of water (approximately 4 cups) to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon of coarse sea salt to the boiling water to season and help the pods retain color.

While the water heats, prepare an ice bath in a medium bowl by filling it with about 2 cups of ice and cold water. This will stop cooking and keep the edamame bright green.

Cook

Add 1 cup of frozen edamame pods to the boiling, salted water. Stir once to separate any clumps and return to a gentle boil.

Cook the edamame for 3 to 5 minutes until the pods are bright green and the beans inside are tender when tested (bite one pod to check). Frozen pods typically need about 4 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon or a strainer, immediately transfer the edamame pods into the prepared ice bath to stop the cooking. Leave them in the ice bath for 1 to 2 minutes.

Drain the edamame well in a colander and pat briefly with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel to remove excess water.

Season & Serve

Place the drained edamame in a serving bowl. While still slightly warm (or at room temperature), drizzle 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil and 1 teaspoon soy sauce over the pods.

Sprinkle kosher or flaky sea salt to taste and add freshly ground black pepper if desired. If you like heat, add crushed red pepper flakes to taste.

Toss or gently shake the bowl so the seasonings coat the pods evenly. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds on top for texture.

Serve immediately with lemon or lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the pods before popping the beans out of the shells. To eat, pop each bean out of the pod with your teeth and discard the pod.