A snack trend is spilling over from Japan to the US. Unripe soybeans called Edamame are boiled in salted water and nibbled with the teeth from the pod, which has formed a delicate salt crust. The small beans develop an incomparable aroma between sweet-nutty and salty. They actually compete with fried chips and nuts and can also be easily produced at home.
Let’s face it – snacks served with beer are usually rich in fat and calories. That’s a good thing, because fat is the ultimate flavour carrier. When people talk about healthy snacks, they quickly turn away from crisps, peanut flips and roasted nuts. What you can expect is probably raw food with a light curd dip – not exactly something for lovers of crisps and co.
Edamame: The soybean as a healthy snack
In Japan, there is a salty vegetable snack prepared without the addition of fat and yet still able to compete with his deep-fried colleagues. It is called Edamame and can be found in Japanese restaurants and bars, but also increasingly in US restaurants on the menu. It can also be easily prepared at home, but more about it later.
Edamame are immaturely harvested soybeans, which are recognisable by their bright green colour and soft texture. The peel contains two to three beans about the size of a fingernail, which become soft when cooked in salt water and develop their nutty to slightly sweet aroma. The beans are extracted with the teeth from the pod, which has obtained a slight salt crust from the salt water, but is not edible itself. The salt crust additionally rounds off the aroma of the beans. As a rule, the pods are not usually found in regular supermarkets, but they can be bought frozen in Asian supermarkets.
Small satirists: Nutrient-rich and low in calories
Unlike many other snacks, Japanese soybeans have few calories: 125 kcal compared to 530 kcal for potato chips. Edamame is also rich in protein and fibre, making it a healthy alternative to fatty snacks from supermarkets, as it saturates longer and keeps blood sugar levels constant. In this way, they prevent attacks of ravenous appetite. The beans have much more to offer, however, as they are also packed full of vitamin C, E and A, folic acid, potassium, magnesium and calcium. So you can do yourself some good when you’re having a snack.
Prepare edamame: This is how it works
Why don’t you offer Edamame to your guests for the next movie night or the next party? The snack is quick and easy to prepare and will definitely meet with a positive response. Here’s how it works:
In a pot, boil 1 litre of water and add 1 tablespoon of salt. Boil about 400 g of Edamame in the slightly bubbling water for 5 minutes and then remove the soybeans from the pan with a skimmer and pour them into a bowl. The pods should have formed a very light salt crust. If the crust is not enough for you, add a little salt to the Edamame. Ready. When serving, don’t forget to prepare a bowl or plate for the remaining bowls.
Of course, Edamame can also be enjoyed in many other variations. They are very tasty in combination with lime juice and chili flakes, for example, or with soy sauce and cayenne pepper. Soybeans are also suitable for rice dishes or salads. Cook the beans for 5 minutes and then remove them from the pods. And if you are hungry for chips, try tacos with Edamame-Dip: Crush 300 grams of boiled and peeled Edamame in a mixer or with the magic wand and then puree with 120 ml of water, 50 ml lemon juice, a few drops of Tabasco, a few drops of sesame oil and a pinch of salt and you’re done with a kind of Japanese guacamole.
10 reasons why you should immediately snack Edamame
Edamame taste unique
Edamame taste of Edamame – slightly nutty, slightly sweetish and mild. But hearty! Just not comparable to any other snack.
Edamame are small protein bombs
Edamame are small protein bombs and great fiber suppliers. They make you full, but not fat. 100 g of Edamame contain only 125 kcal, little fat and a lot of healthy protein. For comparison: 100 g potato chips contain on average 536 kcal – approx. 50 g carbohydrates and 35 g fat.
Edamame is full of vitamins
The green beans are full of vitamins. Vitamin A, B, C, C, E and K as well as folic acid are good for your immune system and nerves. Not only in front of the television, but also before an important test a pleasure.
Edamame are rich in minerals and trace elements
Not only vitamins, but also the minerals iron, potassium, magnesium and calcium and the trace elements manganese and zinc turn the green beans into small power packs.
Edamame contains all important amino acids
Why are amino acids so important? Because they are the building blocks of our body. Only they can form our muscles, skin cells, hair and tissue.
Edamame are available all year round
The soybeans are only harvested from June to September, but they are available all year round. Shock frozen and deep-frozen you will find the small beans in Asia shops or on the Internet.
Edamame can be prepared by anyone
In a few minutes to crunchy Edamame: simply place in a pot with salted, sparkling water and let it boil for at least five minutes. Drain and enjoy with sea salt.
Edamame are something for the eye
Edamame not only taste delicious, they also look great. The bright green beans enhance every dish, but they also look great solo.
Edamame can be flavoured like chips
Salt & Vinegar or Sour Cream & Onion – which type of chip do you like best? No matter how you prefer to eat the crispy little things, Edamame can do the same. Traditionally, the green soybeans are snacked with sea salt, but also taste irresistibly good with chili, garlic or paprika powder.
Edamame is fun
Are you one of those people who likes to peanut peanuts out of the peel or who wants to buy them salted and toasted in a tin? Last ones don’t get happy here. Yes, it takes a bit of tact to free the green beans from their peel, but they taste twice as good afterwards.