How to eat edamame

Edamame is the tender soybean harvested and traded still in the pod, one of the many ways it is consumed in Japan. The properties of edamame are many, it is rich in vegetable proteins, low in calories and very easy to prepare .

A different way to eat soy

Edamame can be compared to fresh beans or seasonal peas that we can buy inside their pods. They are so soft that they can be eaten raw, as with soybeans, which is also a legume that grows in the form of tender beans before taking that dry and hard form similar to beans.

It is a common food in many parts of Asia and many edamame recipes are known. The first written reference to this food is found in a 13th century Japanese manuscript, in which a Buddhist monk thanked a donation of edamame in his temple.

The term edamame refers more to the prepared dish than to the product itself, although it is used for both. Today it is a very popular ingredient in Japan and is eaten as an aperitif, before a meal, accompanied by beer or as part of a menu of varied dishes.

Edamame formats that we can buy

Mercadona’s edamame comes imported from Asia in various formats, but all of them go through freezing. And it is that unripe soybean pods are delicate and have a very short shelf life, so the easiest way to market them is frozen, thus facilitating preservation at home .

It is possible to find it raw or precooked and with the complete pod, although ready-to-eat or cook containers are also offered, but they are defrosted beans that cannot be frozen again.

Another place where we can find edamame is in stores specialized in Asian or Japanese food. We can find it already shelled, that is, edible beans peeled, frozen and raw, or as part of a prepared dish.

There are many recipes for edamame and cooking it at home is very simple, since it can be cooked in water or steamed. You just have to put plenty of water to heat and add the pods when it is boiling. Cook for three or five minutes, drain the Mercadona edamame and cool it with water. If it was already cooked, it will take even less time to prepare it, but in any case, read the instructions on the fragrance.

They can be served straight, warm or cold, or you can marinate them with dressings, sauces, or sauté them. In this case, it is advisable to cook the pods al dente before passing them through the pan, wok or griddle, always with high heat and briefly .

Edamame is served whole and eaten by inserting the entire pod in the mouth, holding it by one end to extract the beans from the inside, absorbing the flavors and juices of the pod. It is usually accompanied by sauces and can be unsheathed to incorporate into multiple edamame recipes.

How to eat edamame: ideas and recipes

You can enjoy all the properties of edamame, providing an extra touch of flavor with different spices, sauces and dressings. Here are some ideas:

  • Salt, sweet or hot paprika, depending on your taste, and granulated garlic.
  • Soy sauce, rice vinegar for sushi and wasabi.
  • Toasted sesame and grated fresh ginger.
  • Parmesan cheese, lemon zest and olive oil.
  • Yogurt sauce, lemon juice and a zaatar spice mix.
  • Shichimi togarashi spice mix and sesame oil.
  • Maldon salt, olive oil and sherry vinegar.

If you draw beans, they are a perfect ingredient to complete salads, rice dishes, soups, pasta, stir-fries … They combine perfectly with almost any ingredient, such as vegetables and legumes, fish, meat and seafood .

In addition, you can also substitute the green peas or beans in your favorite recipes for edamame. They help easily enrich rice and pasta salads, add color and texture to quinoa, or can be a different alternative to hummus, pesto, or other vegetable patés.

Edamame properties

As we have seen, the recipes for edamame are as many as your imagination conceives but, in addition, this legume is an important source of protein of vegetable origin, iron and calcium . It is also a gluten-free and low-calorie snack that, if you consume it regularly, has very positive effects on health, highlighting the following properties of edamame:

  • Helps reduce levels of harmful cholesterol.
  • Their high iron and protein content make these green soybean pods a very energetic food. In addition, the consumption of iron of plant origin increases fertility in women.
  • It reduces the kidney problemsthat type 2 diabetics usually present. This disease causes more protein to be expelled through the urine. However, edamame allows them to digest plant-based protein better than animal-based protein, reducing the amount of protein they excrete through urine.
  • It improves bone health thanks to its important source of magnesium and calcium, which helps maintain strong and healthy bones by reducing bone loss.
  • Helps keep the immune system strong and healthy.
  • Another of the properties of edamame is that it provides antioxidants to our body.
  • Lastly, it is an important source of fiber. What are you waiting to try it

 

by Abdullah Sam
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