For Today’s Japan Photo, we are going to enjoy another one of my favorite side dishes that I would always order when I visit a Japanese restaurant – Edamame 枝豆, which are actually boiled green soybeans.
Here’s a lovely photo taken by flickr user yomi955. I liked how the Edamame are being served in a bamboo bowl.
Anyway here’s a short description for those who have not tasted them before:
Edamame is a preparation of baby soybeans in the pod commonly found in Japan, China, Hawaii, and Korea. The pods are boiled in water together with condiments such as salt, and served whole.
Green soybeans in the pod are picked before they ripen. The ends of the pod may be cut before boiling or steaming.
The pods are then boiled in water or steamed. The most common preparation uses salt for taste. The salt may either be dissolved in the boiling water before introducing the soybean pods, or it may be added after the pods have been cooked. Boiled soybean pods are usually served after cooling, but can also be served hot.
They’re awesome. They taste kind of like cooked lima beans, but better.