Hawaii in a Bowl

Last summer, my mom and I spent a few days in Hawaii together. We stayed in Waikiki, which was considerably less quaint than I anticipated. Still, we had so much fun driving around the island (away from the touristy parts), enjoying cocktails by the water, eating macadamia nut waffles, visiting the Pearl Harbor memorial, and dining at some of the really nice places on the island. One of our favorites is Roy's, which is a Hawaiian (and now international) institution. Roy Yamaguchi, a James Beard Award-winner opened the very first Roy's in Honolulu in 1988. The rest is history (33 locations, all over the world). The restaurant offers Asian/Hawaiian fusion and the result is really special. To begin the meal, instead of bread, generous bowls of edamame are placed on the table. These are not like any edamame I've ever tasted. Salty and spicy, and bursting with flavor. I have been thinking about those little nibbles since I returned from our trip. Finally, after long last, I tracked down all of the ingredients and found a pretty good recipe.

Wok-charred Edamame (from Three Dog Kitchen)

1 pound edamame in the pod
2 TB salt
3 TB sesame oil
2 tsp. finely minced fresh garlic
1 tsp. finely minced fresh ginger
1 tsp. white sesame seeds
1 TB sugar
1 TB soy sauce
1 to 2 tsp. shichimi (Japanese chili pepper, available at Asian grocery stores)

Heat a large wok over medium-high heat.   Add 2 TB of the oil and toss in the edamame.   Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until well-coated with the oil.

Make a well in the edamame and add the remaining 1 TB oil, garlic, and ginger.  Stir-fry for 20 to 30 seconds, until barely light golden brown, then add the sesame seeds to the well.   Stir to mix evenly, coating the edamame.   Sprinkle in the sugar and toss several times, allowing the sugar to melt and glaze the edamame.   Add the soy sauce, shichimi and mix well.   Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, if necessary.   Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.