Dried EdamameDry in the Pod for Long Storage, Rehydrating, and a Dashi-Soaked Recipe

Edamame are young soybeans, picked green.

Dry them in the pod, and once the pods are crisp, take out the beans and store just those. Well-dried beans keep a long time, and can be soaked and cooked as simmered beans, steamed beans or rice with beans.

	Drying time	Storage
Dry (beans)	5 days–1 week	3 months at room temperature / 6 months in the fridge

Drying times assume drying during the day in sunny weather and bringing them in at night.

How to dry edamame

1. Take them off the stalk: If they’re still on the stalk, snip the pods off with scissors.
2. Wash: Rub them lightly in a bowl of water to remove the fuzz and dirt. Pat dry well with paper towels.
3. Dry in the pod: Spread on a basket without overlapping, somewhere sunny and breezy. Roll them around about once a day and bring them in by evening.
4. Shell the beans: Once the pods are crisp and rattle when shaken, split them open and take out the beans.

Where and when to dry is covered in How to Dry Vegetables, and tools in Tools for Drying Vegetables.

When they’re done

Dry (5 days–1 week)

They’re done when the pods have turned brown and crisp, and the beans inside are still green but have shrunk into small, hard beans. If a bean doesn’t dent when you press it with a fingernail, it’s ready. If the beans are still a little soft, dry the shelled beans for another 1–2 days.

Day by day

Before drying

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Storage

• Room temperature: Put the shelled beans in a bag or airtight container with a desiccant, and keep somewhere cool and out of direct sun for about 3 months.
• Fridge: To keep them longer, or in humid summer weather, keep them in the fridge. They keep about 6 months.

Fuzzy white or green growth, black spots or a bad smell are signs of mold or spoilage. Don’t eat them; throw them away. More in How to Store Dried Vegetables.

Rehydrating and using them

• Always cook them: Like soybeans, edamame can’t be eaten raw. After soaking, boil them well before eating.
• Rehydrate: Soak in plenty of water for 6–8 hours (overnight), then put the pot on the heat and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, until tender.
• Good in: Dashi-soaked beans, simmered beans, rice with beans, salads.

Recipe

Dried edamame soaked in dashi

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 30 g (1 oz) dried edamame
• 200 ml (about ⅘ cup) dashi (bonito, kombu, dried sardine, or whatever you like)
• ½ tsp salt

Method

1. Soak the dried edamame overnight in plenty of water, then put the pot on the heat and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
2. Dissolve the salt in the dashi.
3. Drain the edamame, add to the dashi and let cool. Leave it in the fridge overnight for the flavor to soak in.