Edamame

Edamame are fresh soy beans in their pods. They are a popular snack food in Japan, eaten with fingers, and are easy to fix at home. The pods should be a bright green, fuzzy and plump. Remove the stem end of the pod. Put pods in a bowl with salt - amounts are very flexible, but use about 3 tablespoons salt for every pound of pods. Rub the pods with the salt. This will get some of the fuzz off and draw some moisture out of the pods. Let sit for 15 minutes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the edamame and more salt, if necessary, so that the water tastes salty.

Start timing as soon as the pods go in. They will cook 5 to 8 minutes - I like edamame less done but other people like it softer. The pods will start to barely split along the edges. Taste the edamame by squeezing the beans out of the pods. When desired doneness is reached, drain quickly (don't let them sit in the hot water). Serve hot or cold - they may need another sprinkle of salt. Pick up a pod with your fingers and squeeze the beans directly into your mouth, discarding the pod. Great stuff!