Eda-yum-me

My college roomie (Stef) and I found a pretty awesome sushi place down in San Diego. It's a hole in the wall (literally. I'm pretty sure the fire code only allows 12 people in there at a time) and their sushi is inventive, fresh and fun. I'm sharing the secret with you, so click here to find out the name of this amazing find.

I love Stef for many reasons--she's been my cooking accomplice for years, her family owns the renowned Weiser Family Farms (have you tried their potatoes? Look out for them at the Coronado Farmers Market), and she loves the same foods I do, to name a few.

So Stef and I had no problem picking sushi to share between the two of us. And we chose a Japanese appetizer staple – edamame. Garlic edamame to be technical. We both agreed it was our favorite dish of the night, that's how well done it was.

Edamame is a young soy bean that's often served steamed in its shell with a generous sprinkle of kosher salt.  It's known as a health food, due to its high amounts of protein and omega-3 levels, among many other things.

I tried to recreate the garlicky, glazed edamame dish Stef and I had at this sushi joint. It's not perfect, but just as delicious. And, per usual, it's simple to throw together.

Teriyaki-Glazed Garlic Edamame

• One 16-oz package of frozen edamame
• 1/4 cup water
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. water plus 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, mixed together to form a slurry
• Toasted sesame seeds for sprinkling

Assembling

1. Bring the water and garlic to a boil over high heat in a deep pot.
2. Dump the frozen edamame in and stir occasionally for about 5-8 minutes, until the pods are hot and softened. Most of the water will be evaporated at this point.
3. Turn the heat to medium. Toss in the teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and soy and stir to combine.
4. Let that cook down for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and turn the heat to low and let thicken, about a minute.
6. Serve on a platter and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.
7. Tell wandering hands to get their own.

Tips and Variations

• After you steam them in the water and garlic, remove them from the pan and sprinkle with salt for a lighter version.
• Add some sriracha (spicy chili sauce) to the teriyaki sauce for a kick.
• Double the garlic for a health and flavor boost.
• Some people get snap peas confused with edamame. You can't eat the shell of edamame like you can snap peas and ... um ... they're just completely different.
• Frozen edamame is just as good as fresh – in fact, frozen food tends to be higher in nutritional value because they're frozen when their nutrients are at their highest levels.