When my husband and I first started dating a few years ago, we would frequent this little dive sushi bar that had the best edamame and I always wondered how to make it like they did. Eventually the place shut down, it was a dive afterall but lucky for me, I asked for their secret ingredient first. They always added a couple of star anise to the boiling water and it imparts a light, sweetly spicy taste to each little bean.
Edamame makes a great snack and it travels really well. People are often perplexed about how to eat edamame since it comes in little pods that are impossible to chew. Rightly so, since humans can’t digest the pods (don’t eat them!) but the bean inside is made for eating. Just pop the little pod in your mouth and pull it out catching the beans with your teeth. See how fun that is?
How to Cook (and eat) Edamame
1 16 oz bag of organic (non-gmo) frozen edamame
water
1 tbsp sea salt plus more for seasoning the pods
2 star anise
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add in the edamame, the star anise and the salt. The pods will sink to the bottom and once they float to the top, they are done. If you want your beans more tender, cook them about a minute to two more until they are the texture you like though you don’t want them too mushy. Drain well and season with additional sea salt. Eat hot or cold, just don’t eat the pod!
And there you have it, a little lesson on how to cook (and eat) edamame.
While I have had it cooked at a restaurant, I have never actually cooked it at home. Hubby buys it frozen and we thaw it and put it in a bowl and that’s it. It makes a great appetizer for company, despite the pods left behind.
Thanks! I have been wanting to buy some to eat as snacks–they are one of the few veggies I like raw. I’m going to grab a bag of edamame at the grocery this week.
maria @ Chasing the Now´s last blog ..Italy on my mind
I LOVE edamame but just remember that they are not really vegetables but beans… soybeans. So remember that if you are allergic to, or trying to avoid too much, soy.
Just my 2 cents! :)
Love edamame but have never used star anise in cooking them – I can guess how lovely that is. I usually just sprinkle coarse sea salt on them.
Was recently served some cold in a restaurant and had to say they were horrid compared to hot. Couldn’t even eat them.
Christine @Grub, Sweat and Cheers´s last blog ..Yogatastic
Oh yum. Oh yum oh yum oh yum. I love edamame but cannot find anywhere here in the UK that hasn’t been de-podded. The interactive ripping-the-beans-out-of-the-pods is half the fun! :)
shauna´s last blog ..The Floating Dutchmen
I’m from Hawaii, and this food was always a perfect little munchy dish when having a nice cold beer.
I’ve never tried star anise, but most of the edamame I’ve had was tossed in with some chili garlic sauce–it gives the edamame such a spicy and savory flavor, and makes this bean all the better!
Is it tossed in the sauce while still in the pod? I’d love to hear more about that!
Yup, it’s tossed while still in the pod! It’s highly addicting.
That sounds delish! I am going to have to give that a try!