Sweet Chili Edamame

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Sweet Chili Edamame is an easy-to-make healthy appetizer or snack…deliciously addicting!

Our CSA grows edamame every year. I’d never had them until about ten years ago. I’ve been a fan ever since!

I love the slightly nutty flavor, but edamame have lots of great health benefits too. Edamame is rich in protein and high in fiber, and antioxidants, as well as vitamin K and folate. 

Most of the time I simply cook my edamame for a few minutes in boiling water, and we eat them fresh out of the pot. 

Last fall my husband and I were in Maui for an Xterra Off Road Triathlon Championship race. He crashed his bike and cracked a rib on a pre-race ride over the course and unfortunately couldn’t compete last minute, but we still made the best of the rest of the vacation. The highlight for me was snorkeling with sea turtles…oh, and of course the food. The seafood in Maui is out of this world. I ate a lot of really delicious fish tacos! 

But another one of my foodie highlights was the Chili Garlic Edamame we had at the Alaloa Lounge. We actually ordered them two nights in a row. They were seriously addicting!

As soon as I saw the edamame show up at the farmer’s market this year, those Chili Garlic Edamame were the first thing I thought of. 

I don’t have their recipe, but I remembered there was a sweetness to it so that is the taste I was after.  It was so long ago at this point, I doubt this recipe is any kind of duplication to what we had those two nights, but I think you’ll agree that my Sweet Chili Edamame are quite delicious if you try them!

I tested them out on visiting family including my young nephew. The recipe got a thumbs up from everyone. They disappeared quickly! 

HOW TO COOK FRESH EDAMAME

Boil a pot of lightly salted edamame, add the edamame pods, and cook for about 5 minutes. Cool them in a pot of ice water or run cold water over them in a colander to stop the cooking. 

HOW TO EAT EDAMAME IN THE POD

The shell of the edamame is tough and fibrous…you don’t want to eat it. You can either squeeze the pods out with your fingers or use your teeth to extract the beans from their pods. Usually I just season them with a little sea salt. You can also add them to salads. 

STORING, COOKING AND FREEZING FRESH EDAMAME

Fresh edamame will keep for a few days in the refrigerator. After cooking, you can store edamame in the refrigerator for a few more days. Whole cooked pods (or the shelled beans) can be frozen. To reheat, simply pop them back into boiling water for a few minutes. 

SWEET CHILI EDAMAME

If you’re removing the edamame from the plants, wash them before cooking. You can also use frozen edamame in pods, if fresh are not available. 

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. 

Add the edamame and cook for about 5 minutes, until the edamame are bright green. Drain and immerse in ice water to stop the cooking. 

Heat a teaspoon of sesame oil in the pan. Once hot, add the garlic; cook until fragrant. Add the ginger paste, sweet chili dipping sauce, soy sauce and maple syrup. Continue to cook over low heat for a minute or two, until the entire sauce is heated through. 

Toss the edamame with the sauce. 

Enjoy!

 

OTHER HEALTHY APPETIZERS YOU MIGHT ENJOY

• Homemade Italian Giardiniera
• Greek Yogurt Tahini Sauce
• Tzatziki Sauce