Edamame

   When deciding a food to blog about for this assignment, I wanted to pick a food that I love to eat. Sushi has always been one of my favorite meals, however I did not have the means to prepare my favorite roll for the class. Therefore, I decided to research Edamame, my next favorite side dish to eat along with Sushi at Japanese restaurants, and just about every day at home when I want something to snack on. Edamame are green soybeans found in pods containing anywhere from 1-5 beans. They are best prepared when they are kept in the pods and boiled then sprinkled with salt. Other methods of cooking these soybeans can include, but are not limited to baking the soybeans after taking them out of the pod, boiling them and spicing them up with other ingredients such as garlic, or simply heating them up via the microwave and placing them in a salad or in a bowl to be eaten alone with a nice refreshment. 


   Edamame is a Japanese term that means, “steam bean.” The soybean is a form of legume, and this dish is typically found in many foreign cuisines including Japanese and some Chinese dishes. This crop has been very significant throughout East Asia for as long as time. The soybeans were considered one of the five most sacred plants, and have carried on their significance to other parts of the world beginning in the 20th century. Soybeans are harvested at specific times of the year, and are grown just long enough to ensure their immaturity and green color. Unlike snap-peas that look similar on the outside, the soybean pods are not edible. In fact, they have a fur-like texture to them with a thick skin that would not seem appetizing if edible. Their skin has a slit among the side that allows for individuals to easily pop the soybeans out of the pod to be eaten. In order to ensure that the Edamame is fresh, a typical green color will appear on the pods. Brown or yellow Edamame indicates that they have gone bad and lost flavor. Recently, Edamame has been growing in popularity among the health food movement, noted as a tasty treat that is low in fat and calories but high in protein, fiber, and many other important minerals. They contain a high source of folate, a mineral very beneficial to pregnant women because it prevents birth defects and aids in the growth of new cells. Additionally, the soybeans contain chemicals called isoflavones, which, like estrogen, help lower cholesterol.

   Although often eaten as an appetizer at Japanese restaurants, Edamame is now conveniently sold at all grocery stores, with my favorite brand being sold at Trader Joes. The soybeans can be found packaged and frozen still in the pods, outside of the pods, or even precooked and kept in the refrigerated section of the store. The beans are best eaten within a couple days of cooking and should be kept refrigerated. Salt-boiled Edamame is the most popular form of preparation, but many people have also been know to puree the soybeans and add them to dips such as hummus. Furthermore, due to their high nutritional regard, Edamame has slowly made its way from the classic Japanese cuisines to the global market for clean eating and within a large number of processed foods. It has now gained symbolism in America as being the “miracle bean,” and noted as a very important crop for its oil and protein extraction. It is furthermore a very important part of my daily food routine because of its healthy nature and great taste. 

http://japanesefood.about.com/od/bean/r/edamame.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edamame 

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/health-benefits-edamame-1665.html 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soybean