When Fresh Edamame Comes To Market, Buy It!
Great with Beer and Sushi, Edamame Pods with Salt
In the video, I show you how to trim, salt, and boil whole edamame pods. I use little scissors to snip off the stem and the tip of the pod, to open up the pod so the beans inside can absorb some salt. Then, I toss the pods with coarse sea salt, and massage them for a few minutes. If you want to skip the trimming and massaging, you certainly can. Edamame lovers learn pretty quickly how to snap open the pods and extract the tasty beans. Sprinkling the pods with coarse salt will provide saltiness, as you strip the beans from the pods with your teeth.
Fresh Edamame pods are a seasonal treat, and when they come to market, snap up a few bunches to boil, then either eat them as a snack, or slip the beans from the hulls and use them in salads, soups, dips, and anywhere you might use a bean or pea.
You’ll sometimes see the whole pods sauteed and coated in a soy sauce-based glaze. That seems like a waste to me, since most of the sauce is going to remain on the pod and be discarded. It is also messy, and one of the great things about whole edamame is that it is easy finger food. Like peanuts in the shell, you can occupy your fingers in the pursuit of each bite, without needing napkins to clean up.
Edamame in Salads
Once you’ve snacked your way through some edamame pods, you can also hull the beans to use in salads, like this one.
Frozen edamame is the easy alternative, especially because the fresh pods are only available at the end of summer, if you have a farmer who grows them near you. I keep a few bags of frozen edamame on hand, because it is just so easy. It’s a green vegetable, and a high protein one, with many health benefits. I find that it is a great way to add some healthy plant based protein to dishes, without going through the steps of marinating and cooking tofu or tempeh.
I’ve made other recipes with edamame, like Edamame Hummus Tartines. and Edamame Bowls with Miso Sauce.
In this quinoa salad, I kept it simple and stuck to what was in season right now. Fresh tomatoes, basil, and a simple lemon and olive oil dressing are all it took to make this plant based meal sing.
Quinoa and Edamame Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa black quinoa, if you have it
- 2 cups shelled edamame blanched and salted
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large tomatoes chopped
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves julienned
Instructions
- First, bring 1 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small pot. Add the quinoa, then return to the boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low, and cook for 14-15 minutes. When all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, take off the heat and fluff, let cool. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Either blanch and peel whole edamame pods to make 2 cups, or thaw 2 cups frozen, shelled pods. Add to the quinoa.
- In a cup, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Pour over the quinoa mixture.
- Chop the tomato and julienne the basil, add to the bowl and toss to mix.
