Five-Minute Edamame with Garlic-Chili Oil

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Frozen edamame pods go from freezer to table in five minutes flat. Boil them hard in salty water, dry them well, then either hit them with flaky salt like every good izakaya does, or toss them in a fast garlic-chili oil that clings to the pods so you taste it with every squeeze. The pods aren't edible — but they're the delivery system, and getting them slick and seasoned is the whole trick.

Ingredients

• 1 lb frozen edamame in the pod
• 2 tbsp kosher salt, for the boiling water
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

• 2 tbsp neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 4 clove garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp Sichuan chili flakes or gochugaru
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorn (optional)
• 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt
• 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds

Instructions

1. If you're making the garlic-chili oil, get it going first. Combine the chili flakes, sugar, ground Sichuan peppercorn (if using), and flaky salt in a small heatproof bowl and set it next to the stove.
2. In a small skillet or saucepan, warm the neutral oil with the sliced garlic over medium-low heat. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, swirling often, until the garlic turns pale gold and the bubbling slows — pull it the moment it's the color of straw, since it browns fast off heat.
3. Immediately pour the hot oil and garlic over the chili flake mixture. It should sizzle and smell nutty. Stir in the toasted sesame oil and soy sauce and set aside.
4. Bring 3 quarts of water to a hard rolling boil in a large pot and add the 2 tablespoons kosher salt — the water should taste like a good soup.
5. Add the frozen edamame all at once, still frozen, and boil for 5 minutes, stirring once. The pods should be bright green and a bean squeezed out of its pod should be tender with a slight bite. Add 1 extra minute if your pods are unusually large.
6. Drain in a colander and shake hard for 15 to 20 seconds to fling off the water, then spread the pods on a clean kitchen towel and pat the tops dry. Dry pods are the difference between seasoning that sticks and seasoning that puddles at the bottom of the bowl.
7. For the simple version: pile the hot edamame into a serving bowl and scatter the flaky sea salt over the top, tossing with your hands so the crystals catch on the pods. Serve right away.
8. For the garlic-chili version: put the dry, hot pods in a large bowl, spoon over the garlic-chili oil, and toss for 30 seconds until every pod is glossy and flecked. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with an empty bowl alongside for the spent pods.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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