Alongside jianbing, baozi, and just about every street food, your local maodou (edamame to the Japanese among us) lady may become more and more elusive in the back streets of Beijing. Well, you could probably head to the nearest barbecue joint and grab a bag for 10 kuai but then again, why not perfect the art of hairy bean making over a weekend and never worry yourself ever again with the joy-killing powers that be.
Below we’ll walk you through a spiced edamame recipe that pairs perfectly with ice-cold beer, just about any type of barbecued meat, and the sweet taste of self-reliance. Want more than what the recipe allows or like your edamame extra spicy? Simply throw in more of whatever ingredient you want and don’t be afraid to experiment. This is your goddamn life, man!
Finger-Lickin’ Spiced Edamame
Ingredients (serves 1-2 as a snack)
– 500g raw edamame (毛豆, máodòu)
– Scallions (大葱, dàcōng)
– 100g ginger (生姜, shēngjiāng)
– A handful of star anise (八角, bājiǎo) and aniseed (大料, dàliào)
– A piece of cinnamon bark (桂皮, guìpí)
– 10 bay leaves (香叶, xiāngyè)
– A sprinkle of fennel (茴香, huíxiāng)
– A handful of dried chili peppers (干辣椒, gān làjiāo)
– A pinch of salt (盐, yán)
– Seasoning wine or baijiu (optional) (料酒 liàojiǔ, 白酒 báijiǔ)
Instructions
1. Wash and prepare the raw edamame in warm water.
2. Cut off both ends of edamame, so the beans will absorb more flavor during boiling later.
3. Add all the spices to 2 liters of water in a large pot and bring to the boil.
4. Add the edamame to the water and cook until tender (about 8 minutes).
5. Add a pinch of salt and the seasoning wine or baijiu (optional) into the pot, and turn off the heat after 5 minutes of addition boiling.
6. Leave the edamame in the spiced water for 30 minutes, and then drain them.
7. Put the beans in the fridge if you prefer eating them cold, or sprinkle with a little extra sea salt and serve immediately.
Et voila! You’ve done gone made a healthy, vegetarian snack that works as both an appetizer and a side snack that everyone likes.
Photos: Tracy Wang
This post first appeared on our sister site, the Beijinger. See more stories by this author here.