Sesame Garlic Edamame

Back in March when I was in Australia we ate at Wagamama for dinner which was such a nice surprise since I hadn't eaten there since 1996 when I was in college spending a semester in London. As a college student, I had never encountered anything so modern and cool as sitting on a long communal bench and having black-clad servers punching in our orders on handheld computers.

For an appetizer we ordered the Edamame with Chilli Garlic Salt which was a simple spin on traditional edamame plainly boiled and sprinkled with salt. I made a mental note to try and recreate it at home and it took three tries to get it just right. I realized after round one that I needed to use some oil to bind the garlic and chillis to the pods. Round two was somehow worse because the edamame still had water clinging to them which caused the oil to slide right off into the bottom of the bowl. However, when round three came around I persevered and took the time to dry the pods and then coat them with the chilli-garlic oil.

I thought that besides a final sprinkling of salt, a coating of nutty, toasted sesame seeds would be a welcome addition and I was right. These are addicting and go fast so feel free to double the recipe for a larger group.

To serve 4 as an appetizer:

• 1 pound edamame in the shell
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 red chilli, stemmed and chopped
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Cook edamame according to package directions. Rinse under cold water to cool and allow to drain well. Lay out several sheets of paper towels and spread the edamame on them in a single layer. Cover with more paper towels.

Meanwhile, heat the peanut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and chilli. Cook, swirling the pan frequently until the garlic is just golden and fragrant.

Put the edamame in a large bowl. Pour the garlic oil over them and toss to coat them thoroughly. Add the sesame seeds and salt and toss again. Serve. These will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for a day or two.