Edamame.

Edamame are young soybeans picked while the pods are still green. Each fuzzy pod holds two or three plump beans. The pod itself is too tough to eat, so you squeeze the beans out with your fingers or teeth. Cooked, the beans are tender with a light bite and a sweet, nutty taste. In Thailand they're known as thua rae Japan, and a bowl of salted pods is a familiar snack.

Ways to use it

• Boil the pods in salted water for about 5 minutes, drain, and sprinkle with a little more salt.
• Pop the cooked beans out of their pods and add them to fried rice, salads or noodle bowls.
• Toss boiled pods in a hot pan with garlic, chilli and a little soy sauce.
• Mash shelled beans with a little oil, lime and salt into a green spread.

Storing it

Fresh pods lose their sweetness quickly, so keep them unwashed in a container in the fridge drawer and cook them within a few days. Rinse the pods well under running water before boiling. Cooked edamame go into the fridge once cooled.

Where it comes from

Grown to certified organic standards. The certificate for each lot is shown when you trace your pack.

Every pack will carry a lot code. Enter it on the Trace your pack page and you will see the farms in that lot, the harvest date and the certificate.