Edamame

Edamame (枝豆^?) (/ˌɛdəˈmɑːmeɪ/) or edamame bean is a preparation of immature soybeans in the pod, found in the cuisine of Japan, China and Hawaii. The pods are boiled or steamed and served with salt.

Green soybeans in the pod are picked before they ripen in order to prepare edamame.

Outside East Asia, the dish is most often found in Japanese restaurants and some Chinese restaurants but it also has found popularity elsewhere as a healthy food item.

The United States Department of Agriculture states that edamame beans are "a soybean that can be eaten fresh and are best known as a snack with a nutritional punch".^[5]