Edamame comes into season with the arrival of summer. There are packs of edamame and edamame with stems attached lining up in the aisles of Japanese supermarket from May to September. Although it is available all year as frozen, downing a beer with eating freshly cooked edamame as a snack in summer makes it taste all the better.
It is said that edamame was brought to Japan about 2000 years ago, and may have been eaten since the Heian period as the description about it has already written in the old literature of the era. Given the easy cooking, highly nutritious, and tasty nature, it is reasonable that Edamame has now become a popular food worldwide. Now, let me introduce some of the remarkable features of edamame and the simple and authentic way of cooking – boiled edamame.
Nutrition
Edamame is immature soybeans and are green-yellow vegetables that have the lots of nutritional benefits. Like soybeans, which are called “field meat,” they are rich in energy, fat, and high-quality protein. It contains many nutrients such as vitamins, dietary fiber, calcium, and iron. What is remarkable for edamame is, unlike soybeans, containing a small amount of β-carotene (vitamin A) and vitamin C. Beta-carotene has the effect of keeping the eyes and skin normal and boosting immunity. Vitamin C is a nutrient that helps the synthesis of collagen and anti-stress hormones and suppresses active oxygen that is harmful to the body.
Health Benefit
Compared to other vegetables, vitamins B1 and B2, which are abundant in edamame, have the effect of breaking down sugars, lipids, and proteins in the body and converting them into energy. In addition, it helps excrete sodium (salt), which causes high blood pressure, and contains a large amount of potassium that promotes diuretic action, so it regulates the amount of water in the body and works effectively to eliminate swelling. It is very effective in relieving malnutrition caused by loss of appetite, which is the cause of summer heat fatigue.
The reason that “edamame is perfect for beer”
Methionine, a type of amino acid contained in edamame protein, promotes the decomposition of alcohol together with vitamin B1 and vitamin C, and helps the liver function, so it works to prevent overdrinking and hangover. We can see why edamame is so popular as a beer snack in the summer.
Boiled Edamame
Conditioning time : 10 minutes Servings :2-4
Ingredients
- Edamame – 1 bag (About 1/2 lb)
- Salt – 4% of boiled water (For 4 cups, about 2 tablespoon)
- Boiled water – 1 litter (About 4 cups)
How to cook
1. First, cut off the top end of the pods. By doing this, edamame will be boiled evenly and the salt water will season them well.
2. Wash edamame lightly. After put washed edamame in a bowl, add half of salt on the edamame and rub it well. It removes some of the fuzzy hairs on the pods and absorbs salty flavor.
3. Add the rest half of salt into boiled water. Then put edamame with sale into boiled water. You need to make sure every salt is put into boiled water. Boil it for 4 -5 minutes. Stir with chopsticks and boil while adjusting the heat so that hot water does not spill.
4. To make sure if edamame is boiled well, try one or two. Use a strainer to drain hot water. 
5. Serve hot. Do not run cold water on boiled edamame. If you prefer cool it down, leave it in a strainer to cool naturally. 
Points
- When buying edamame, choose fresh one with stems attached if possible.
- If you have an extra time for cooking, you can cut the both ends of the pods.
- After boiling, sprinkle a little bit of salt if you prefer.
Tableware used in this article
I used the following dishes this time!
Other Edamame Recipes
It’s got a nice garlicky flavor that goes great with beer!
The kids love it when I put it on crackers and eat it as a snack.