Anytime I get Japanese food, I always order edamame beans. A fresh, salty and bright green bowl of these little pods are the perfect dish to share with friends, or to have all to yourself. While this dish may have a tricky name (ed-a-mar-may) they may be best interpreted as green soybeans. They are a much better snack than empty carbs (think chips, pretzels or rice crackers) as they are packed in vitamins, fibre and protein.
Edamame is easy to make at home; simply boil for a few minutes and drain, sprinkling in sea salt. The beans also make a great base for a creamy dip, which packs a healthy punch.
To make this delicious edamame dip (which I found in the latest issue of Women's Health Australia) you need the following ingredients:
1 cup frozen shelled edamame*
2/3 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
*Sometimes you can't find shelled edamame beans at the grocery store (look where the peas are found). If you can, try your local Asian food store, they will have it in the freezer section. If you do buy edamame beans, check they are shelled for this recipe, otherwise you will have to pop them out of their pods, which could be a little time consuming!
Boil the soybeans in a small saucepan for about 4 minutes. Drain and put into a food processor, adding the basil, oil, lemon and salt. Blend for a minute until smooth. Serve with fresh vegetable sticks (celery, carrot and capsicum, and baked pita chips.) Make baked pita chips by slicing wholemeal pita bread in pieces, spraying with oil and sprinkling in seasoning, and baking in a hot oven for 10 minutes or until browned.
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