I have always liked Legumes (beans, peas, lentils) because they contain no cholesterol, they are low in fat, contain high proteins, minerals and vitamins, contain beneficial fat, a healthy substitute for meat, keeps me full for longer and tastes yum! I cook lentils (sambar, daal, curry) at least thrice/week. I also cook other beans (kidney beans etc) and peas (chick peas etc) probably once or twice a week. Although I have been using most of these legumes, my favourite for a while has been Edamame beans.

Edamame bean, an immature ‘soybean’ in a pod as we know, it is commonly found in Chinese, Japanese and Hawaiian cuisine. Packed with full of fibre, protein, vitamins and minerals, these beans come in a pod or can also be eaten pealed from the pod. Call me ignorant but I had never heard of Edamame before! The first time I ordered edamame (salted-boiled edamame in pod) was a couple of years ago in a Japanese restaurant. I was slightly unsure about the taste but once the order came by, I couldn’t resist ordering a second serving! I normally order a starter and a main dish. However, on the day I remember I was so hungry, where I ate 2 whole servings of edamame as a starter dish (ok I call it a side dish!). My stomach was already half full by the time my actual started arrived! The serving portion wasn’t huge, probably slightly more than a handful of beans. These were quite filling and they definitely tasted great! Since that day, I have never failed to order edamame when I go to restaurants where they have these available.

I prefer my edamame in a pod however my local Tesco does not sell them in a pod, so as a quick fix I buy the frozen boiled edamame beans as it is and I make whatever I desire on the time/day. There are some delicious recipes out there (google obviously!) which I refer. Although I like my edamame salted and boiled, I sometimes prefer them in an Indian style with some spices and chillies. The edamame makes a great healthy snack. I sometimes eat it by itself or make a salad and eat it as a side with my main meal. These beans are so nutritious, keep me full for longer and they truly taste YUM! Edamame is defiantly my favourite legume.xx