Crunchy, dry edamame recipe

January 9, 2012 10:26 PM

How do I dry roast edamame so each bean maintains its crunchiness for a few days?

I've tried several recipes but each one resulted in beans that became tough and chewy after I stored them overnight. I want the beans to completely dehydrate and become brittle, like the type sold in snack packs.

posted by HotPatatta to Food & Drink (3 answers total)

If the edamame comes out correctly and only becomes soft after storing, it might be your storage method that's to blame. Is there a desiccant package in the snack packs (little usually white package with "Do Not Eat" on it)? You could put that in with your stored edamame and it would keep the moisture down. You might also try storage in different materials. Plastic and glass would tend to trap moisture (especially if you're putting the edamame away when it's warm) while putting them in a paper bag would allow the moisture to escape. Also the fridge can be much moister than regular kitchen air so unfortunately while storing them in the fridge prevents things from going bad, they'll also get soggy. Try the freezer or on the counter if you're going to eat them quickly.

My only advice about roasting to get the most dried is probably to do it at a low temperature for a really long time. But that might make them really tough rather than the crunchy dry you're after.
posted by hydrobatidae at 9:16 AM on January 10, 2012

Have you tried using a dehydrator or are you using an oven? I think the dehydrator does a better job of soaking all the moisture out. I agree w/ hydro. Don't refrigerate. If you're removing all the moisture there's usually no need to.
posted by no bueno at 6:35 PM on January 10, 2012

Hmm. soaking seems like the wrong term. *Pulling all the moisture out.
posted by no bueno at 6:36 PM on January 10, 2012