Recipe: Deepa And Ashish's Umame Edamame

This a treat for hard-core edamame fans.

Edamame is young, green soybeans, eaten out of their pods, usually lightly cooked.

Deepa Mehrotra, assisted by Ashish Mehrotra, has perfected the recipe for Edamame With An Umami Kick. You have to merely park yourself in front of a bowl of this delightful concoction and you will be eating it till the cows come home.

Not a challenging recipe to prepare, budget enough time for the pods to marinate and -- since presentation is key for the Mehrotras -- find a pretty bowl to present it in. Serve it along with a few equally interesting sides.

Edamame With An Umami Kick

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

• 40-50 pods about 250 gm frozen edamame pods
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
• Pinch salt
• ½ tsp barbecue sauce
• ½ tsp sugar
• Warm water, about 3 cups
• 1-2 tsp roasted white til or sesame seeds

Method

• Soak the frozen pods in water to bring them to room temperature.
  And transfer to a serving bowl
• Heat 3 cups water till just warm and add in the soy, vinegar, barbecue sauces, salt, sugar.
  Pour this liquid over the edamame pods and leave to soak.
  Let soak at least 1 hour, but 4-5 hours is best.
• Sprinkle the sesame seeds on top.
  Serve as a starter or a healthy snack, with  side of herbed rice, lightly-grilled mixed vegetables, like broccoli, bell peppers, mushrooms etc.
  To eat: Suck out the immature beans from the pods as you eat them and discard the outer covering.

Deepa Mehrotra hails from Sitapur, Uttar Pradesh, but has been living in Mumbai for three decades. In the family, she is well-known for her delightful dishes and the spreads she puts together.

• REDIFF FOOD