August 4, 2014

Grilling Edamame/枝豆を焼く

In Japan, edamame (young soybeans) are usually boiled before eating. The other day, I learned of a new way of cooking them: pan-frying. The webpage I found claimed that pan-frying would make edamame "super" tastier than boiling. I thought I must give it a try. Somehow, it had never occurred to me that edamame could be pan-fried. The pan-frying method was rather cumbersome, however, so I decided to grill edamame in the toaster oven.
日本では、枝豆は普通茹でてから食べます。先日、フライパンで焼くという新たな方法を知りました。私が見つけたサイトでは、フライパンで焼くと、茹でるより「超絶」(ちょうぜつ)おいしくなるそうです。試さなければ、と思いました。なぜか、枝豆がフライパンで焼けるとはそれまで思ったことがありませんでした。ただし、フライパンて焼く方法はちょっと面倒だったので、オーブントースターで焼くことにしました。

Bag of edamame:
枝豆一袋:
Chamame (lit. brown beans) are a specialty of Niigata. They are much tastier than common varieties.
茶豆は新潟の名産です。普通の品種よりずっと美味しいです。
Wash edamame in cold water. Drain, add some salt, and rub well. Let stand for a few minutes.
(I sprinkled 3% salt (2 tsp for about 250 g edamame).)
枝豆を水で洗い、水を切り、塩を振り、よくもみます。数分置いておきます。
(私は塩を3%(250 gの枝豆に小さじ2)振りました。)

Transfer to tray and grill in the toaster oven for 10 minutes.
トレイに移し、オーブントースターで10分焼きます。
Done.
完成。
I tasted some, and found the beans inside were not salty at all. I didn't find them particularly tasty.
少し味見しましたが、中の豆は全然塩辛くなくて、特に美味しいと思いませんでした。

Several hours later, the edamame turned quite soggy due to the salt on the surface. The beans inside were now a little tastier.
数時間後、枝豆は表面の塩のせいでかなり水っぽくなりました。中の豆は少しは美味しくなっていました。
Do edamame taste better when grilled than boiled? I don't think so. Boiled edamame taste as good.
枝豆は茹でるより焼いたほうが美味しいか?そうは思いません。茹でた枝豆も同様に美味しいです。

Chamame (lit. brown beans) are so called because the membrane is slightly brown.
茶豆は、薄膜が少し茶色なので、そう呼ばれています。  

5 comments:

  1. I have always wondered why edamame are salted in izakayas... But I guess it's when you open them with your fingers, there is some salt on your fingers, so finally the beans get some salt while you eat...
    I am furious because my Japanese grocery shops start selling Chinese edamame only and it's not half as good as Japanese...

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  2. Sissi: Yes, many people still sprinkle salt after boiling. Probably they use less salt when boiling, so they need additional salt afterwards.

    If you are lucky enough to get fresh edamame, try my method:
    http://hiro-shio.blogspot.jp/2008/08/edamame-young-soy-beans.html
    Believe me, this particular method (boiling in 4% water for 3-5 minutes and cooling with a fan, not rinsing in cold water) is the very best, resulting in nice and plump edamame.

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  3. If I had a garden I would try growing edamame... I have never seen it fresh here.. but I had it several times in Japan and it was so much better than the defrosted ones...

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  4. 面白い。枝豆 焼くと 枝 "まあまあ" め に なる曽於ですね。

    I really enjoy reading your blog posts. I lived in Niigata a long time ago...reading your posts brings back great memories of the food, people, and countryside.

    なつはし! Patrick

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  5. Patrick: Thanks for your comment! You must have had a wonderful time in Niigata!

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