Spicy Soybeans

Happy Labor Day (for those in the U.S.A.).  I've been back at work for over a month, but I still come home totally drained.  Is it me or are more people just screwing up?  My job wouldn't exist if screw-ups didn't occur on multiple levels, but really, I don't need to be kept so busy!

Aside from my ramblings about all the dipshits I deal with daily, one would think I had a good amount of time to recover from the flurry of activity thats been happening around here:  start of school, Yurihama visitors, D2's birthday party.  Truthfully, I haven't.  I will need an entire summer vacation PLUS to recover.  One measly holiday is not gonna do it.

As you may have seen from the slide show (last post), part of the festivities for the Yurihama guests was a Farewell Dinner.  Most of the food was catered by Yvonne Torres, however, the parents of the Hilo students were invited to share a pupu, salad or a dessert.  It sounded like Alson had the desserts covered, so I decided to bring a pupu.  Looking ahead as to what I could make ahead of time, I decided on Spicy Soybeans.

Alan Wong's Pineapple Room restaurant in the Ala Moana Macy's serves some kind of seasoned edamame as an appetizer.  I remember going there and not being able to get enough of it.  While this recipe is not intended to be an Alan Wong's copycat, it does a good job of fulfilling all that I could ask for in a pupu.  I know D1 feels the same way.  I saw her loading her plate several times with a mound of these beans.  I guess she really IS my daughter.  A few weeks later, others confessed to loading their plates with these beans too (see update after recipe).

I'm not sure where I got the original recipe from, but I have tweaked it a little to adapt it to my taste and preference.  Feel free to add more chili pepper, especially if you like a really good kick.

click on recipe title for printable recipe
Spicy Soybeans

     1 lb frozen soybeans in shell

     6 c water

     4 tbsp vegetable oil, divided

     1 chili pepper, seeded*

     2-inch piece ginger, cut into pieces

     3 cloves garlic

     3 tbsp shoyu

     1 tbsp oyster sauce

     1/2 tsp sesame oil

Boil water.  Add frozen soybeans and cook for 30 seconds.  Drain and set aside.  In a small food processer, combine chili pepper, ginger, and garlic.  Pulse until chopped very fine.  Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok until hot.  Add beans and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Shove beans to one side of wok and add remaining 2 tbsp oil.  Add chili pepper mixture. Add shoyu, oyster sauce, and sesame oil.  Cook until liquid is evaporated, tossing frequently to distribute seasoning evenly among beans.

Update:  I have been validated over the taste of this recipe.  Both Alson and Esther, the club advisor and the principal of Hilo Intermediate School, respectively, have requested the recipe.  Esther said she loved the ginger flavor.  Alson stated that he is not fond of ginger, yet he found himself eating mounds of this.  

*08/2017 Update:  I ran out of chili peppers (I normally keep a stash in my freezer)!  I used Korean chili pepper powder, and it turned out fine.  Substitute 1/4 tsp of the powder for 1 chili pepper.  Korean chili pepper powder is available in Asian markets, and the only ingredients are chili pepper and salt.  If you like heat, then use 1/2 tsp of the powder.