Robin Benzle food and travel

Rice Noodles with Shrimp and Edamame

A very healthy stir-fry with a vegetable you may be trying for the first time. My daughter Bailey introduced me to edamame, which is a highly nutritious vegetable eaten mostly in Asian countries. It’s an immature Japanese green soybean that comes in pods and looks a lot like lima beans. In Japan, they eat them as a snack with beer. They’re 16% protein and rich in calcium and vitamins A and B. I found them in the freezer section of my grocery store. They come two ways, in the pod (for snacking) or shelled (for cooking).

Ingredients

About 8 ounces thin rice noodles
1/2 lb. cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 lb. medium raw shrimp, shelled
2 cups shelled edamame, thawed
1/2 cup tamari (or soy) sauce

The Recipe

Soak rice noodles in hot water, according to package directions (some don’t come with directions – so just soak them about 20 minutes until they soften).
In a large skillet, cook mushrooms in olive oil until soft. Add garlic and shrimp and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add edamame and soy sauce, bring to a boil and simmer 5 – 7 minutes. If you need to, add more soy sauce. Drain rice noodles and add to skillet, mixing well. Serves 4.
Serving suggestion: To add just a little more flair, top each serving with toasted, slivered almonds.
P.S. To eat edamame as a snack, buy them in the shells, boil for a few minutes, allow to cool and pull the pod through your teeth to get the soybeans out.