This is a copycat of the spicy edamame you get at modern Japanese restaurants, a standard order for pre-dinner snacking. The final recipe to complete the fusion Japanese menu I shared earlier this week, just in time for the weekend!
Spicy edamame
No outing to a fusion Japanese restaurant happens without a bowl of edamame to start. While I wouldn’t turn down a bowl of regular plain salted edamame, if Spicy Edamame is on offer, I will pounce on it. Which should surprise no one, given my love of big, bold flavoured food!
But – I always cringe when I see the price. It’s usually over $10 for a small bowl while it costs just over $3 for a whole bag of frozen edamame and less than $1 to make the sauce!
So, here is my copycat of Spicy Edamame, the sort that you see on the menu of modern Asian restaurants. Serve it as a snack – it goes with everything: sake, wine, beer, cocktails!
For a traditional Japanese version, the plain salted variety, here is the recipe on my mother’s website, RecipeTin Japan.
Ingredients in spicy edamame
Here’s what you need to make this spicy edamame.
Frozen edamame
These days, frozen edamame is easily found in the frozen vegetable or Asian section of regular grocery stores. Look for packets that are not brined (ie pre salted) as it’s better to control salt levels yourself. Also, be sure to get edamame that is in the pods (rather than shelled ie soy beans removed from the pods) because the whole point of this dish is to suck the soy beans out of the sauce coated pods!
For more tips on selecting the best edamame and background information, see my mother’s traditional Japanese salted Edamame recipe here.
spicy garlic sauce for edamame
It took a few goes to get the balance of flavours right. I found that using a basic mix of soy + chilli paste + sesame oil was just a bit flat and boring. A touch of mirin and miso paste went a long way to solve this. But don’t worry, there are easy substitutes for both of these.
Sambal oelak – a chilli paste that is made from fresh chillies with a bit of salt and vinegar. It’s mildly spicy. Even though it’s not Japanese, I like to use this for spicy edamame for the colour and flavour it adds. Substitute with any chilli paste you have, or sriracha – just start with a bit and add more at the end to get the spiciness to the level you want.
Japanese soy is a little more delicate in flavour than Chinese soy but it’s fine to use any all-purpose or light soy soy sauce. Don’t use dark soy (too strong, it will ruin the dish) or sweet soy (too sweet). See here for more about different types of soy sauces.
Mirin – syrupy sweet Japanese cooking wine made from rice that adds depth of flavour into the sauce. Essential ingredients in Japanese cooking (literally used in every second dish). Find it in the Asian section of grocery stores or Asian stores. Substitute with: 2 teaspoons honey plus 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock, and simmer sauce for longer.
Grapeseed oil – This is a very flavourless oil which makes it an ideal choice when you want other flavours to shine through. Substitute with other natural flavoured oil – canola, rapeseed, vegetable or peanut oil.
Garlic – finely minced with a knife (not a crusher, it’s too wet and pasty to be sautéed)
Miso paste – Just 1/4 tsp provides flavour and salt into the sauce and also thickens it so the sauce clings to the edamame. Any type is fine – white, red, saikyo miso etc. Substitute: add an extra pinch of salt.
Non spicy version – See recipe notes for a Honey Soy kid-friendly alternative.
How to make spicy edamame
Cook the edamame from frozen in salted boiling water for 2 minutes. NOTE: Many packets will instruct to boil for 5 minutes. That’s not necessary as the edamame is already pre-cooked, and it also dulls the green colour. Also, some packets will include microwave or steaming directions which you can also use. I prefer to boil in lightly salted water for a little extra seasoning on the skin.
Drain well and shake the excess water off.
Sauce – Sauté the garlic gently in the oil until it is light golden. Then add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for just 1 minute until syrupy.
Pour over the edamame then toss well to coat. Transfer into a serving bowl and serve!
Now, onto the most important matter – how to eat Spicy Edamame (seriously, for first timers, instruction is required!).
How to eat spicy edamame
How you eat spicy edamame matters!!! Because, uniquely, the part you eat is inside the pods (ie the soy beans) but the part that’s sauced is the outside (which is discarded).
And it’s deliberate! Because this is how to eat edamame:
Pick up a sauce slathered pod;
Use your front teeth to semi-bite / semi-suck the soy beans out of the pods while simultaneously sucking all the sauce off the skin of the pod;
You end up with a mouthful of the slippery soy beans and the tasty sauce;
Discard the sauce-less, empty pod; and
Repeat, repeat, repeat.
Wash it down with a cold beer, warm sake, cold sake, a cocktail or your favourite glass of wine. There’s no better way to kick off a meal….or finish a Friday! – Nagi x
PS Edamame is rich in protein, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals. And there’s not much oil in the sauce, making this dish a much better-for-you option that other snacking alternatives! So I like to think it offsets the wine.😈
Watch how to make it
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Spicy edamame
Ingredients
EDAMAME
- 300g/10oz frozen edamame in the pods (ie not shelled), preferably not brined (Note 1)
- 2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
SPICY GARLIC SAUCE
- 1 tbsp grapeseed oil (or other plain flavoured oil)
- 2 tsp garlic , finely minced
- 1 tbsp sambal oelek , adjust/omit to taste (Note 2)
- 2 tsp sesame oil , toasted
- 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (sub light soy or all-purpose soy, NOT dark soy – Note 3)
- 1 tbsp mirin (Note 4)
- 1/4 tsp miso paste (any type, not critical if you omit)
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
Instructions
- Spicy garlic sauce – Heat the oil in a small pan over medium low heat. Cook the garlic until very light golden, then add everything else. Stir, then simmer on low for 1 minute. Remove from stove.
- Edamame – Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add the salt. Put the frozen edamame in the water. Bring it back up to the boil then cook for 2 minutes (Note 5 – ignore the packet times, they always say too long!). Drain well, shaking off excess water.
- Toss – Transfer edamame into a bowl, pour over sauce, toss. Transfer into a serving bowl – scrape out every drop of sauce! Serve warm or at room temperature.
- To eat, pick up a sauce-slathered pod. Bite the pod so the soybeans pop out into your mouth, and suck all the sauce off the skin. Discard the skin, repeat and repeat!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Today – filming Play School. He’s peaked!
He did me proud. Never barked when the cameras were rolling and when it came to his time to shine in front of the cameras, he nailed it in one take!!
And there I am, frantically learning my lines while getting a blow-out (Dozer was up next).
What a life Dozer leads!! Still can’t believe I picked him up for 50% off. Bargain of my life!
Yesterday I was in the shower washing my hair and randomly thought, “I wonder how Dozer is doing lately”… as if he was an actual friend of mine. So glad to hear he (and you) are doing so well!
My favorite photo ever of you and Dozer!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️🥰
What a joy it is to know of the love between yourself and your Dozer. Blessings to you both,
I’m going to try this using green beans – same family, right?
Yes! I’ve made a similar recipe with green beans, and it was delicious.
I like this idea with the green beans, and then you can eat the whole thing!
Yes, Dozer first, recipe second! 😀 So great that he is doing so good!!! Keep up the good work Dozer and Nagi. Hugs to all from Bourbon Country Kentucky USA.
I love that so many of us scroll to see Dozer & Nagi’s doings first & then scroll back up to check out the recipes. Dozer is so beloved!
I’m so thankful that he is doing well & enjoying stardom! 💕Congratulations on all the success!
Dozer is the boss. He has brought you up well Nagi! Th ask for sharing him with us.
Made me tear up again! Miss my Goldens so much and lost them so early.. Dozer is a star!
Could I use broad beans (have some growing in the garden)? And do you eat the pods?
How old is Dozer? You’re amazing, Nagi! Keep up your good works.
Love these as I love all your recipes. Had them as a side with meat and potatoes. Delicious
Fantastic for all of you. Maia would be proud.
Dozer nailed it! What can’t he do?
I know, right? Genius. 😂
Woohooo, you scored a trifecta! Play school, Masterchef and a new cookbook, all in the same year. Huge congrats to you both. Okay, now I will go and check out the recipe 😁
He he, it does seem like a busy few months!! Funnily though, doesn’t feel like that way to me because Masterchef was filmed so long ago and I’ve been working on the book for 2 years!! N xx
Thank you for all your recipes. Have ordered y0ur 2nd book. Love your 1st book too. Love you and Dozer.
Thank you Jannet!! I’m so nervous about this second book, in some ways it’s scarier than the first 🙂 Hope you have a great weekend! – N x
Play School now for you and the Amazing Dozer.
What a thrill.
Do you know when your episode goes to air?
I’m not sure Christine, but I will definitely be blasting it out everywhere when it does! 🙂 N xx
I love the recipe and will certainly be trying it, but I too scrolled to the end to see wat Dozer was up to 😀 Dear old boy is doing so well, big hugs from me! <3
GOOD! I love hearing that 😂
How amazing is Dozer’s life. Play school! Ultimate experience for you both, possibly beats Masterchef for kudos.
Right!! Who ever would have thought a discount dog would live such a life 😂
So now you and dozer are up there with John Waters, benita and noni hazelhurst. Good crew. Australian stardom.
Ha ha NOT QUITE!! 😂 N xx
Recipe ? Where? This is Dozers page😂 well done Dozer 💓
I almost spat a sip of wine on my computer screen when I read this! 😂
Wow! What a fantastic day! Go Nagi and Dozer! You are both stars 🌟. How fantastic to be on Play School. (Great recipe too 🤗)
Thank you Annette! It was a pretty amazing experience. Hats off to actors…remembering lines is SO HARD!! N x
Ah, learning lines must be tricky! Actors generally don’t create fabulous recipes and food like you do though! I’m going to check out iview today for your episode of Play School.