CELEBRITY MASTER CHEF DR KAVIRAJ KHIALANI
Imagine a humble green bean with the creamy richness of butter, the sweetness of fresh peas, the power of a protein shake and the versatility of a master ingredient. Meet edamame—Japan’s celebrated young soybean that is fast becoming the darling of health-conscious kitchens worldwide. Packed with nutrition and bursting with culinary possibilities, this vibrant superfood effortlessly transforms everything from street-style chaats and aromatic pulaos to gourmet salads, soups and fusion delicacies into unforgettable gastronomic experiences.
- Celebrity Master Chef Dr Kaviraj Khialani unveils exciting Indian and global ways to enjoy protein-rich edamame
- From chaats and biryanis to fusion bakes, soups and salads, the Japanese superfood blends effortlessly with Indian flavours
- Loaded with plant protein, fibre, folate and antioxidants, edamame powers heart health, immunity and weight management
- Soft, buttery and naturally sweet, these young soybeans promise guilt-free snacking and wholesome family meals
- Discover why the world’s favourite green bean deserves a permanent place in every Indian kitchen
Celebrity Master Chef Dr Kaviraj Khialani believes edamame is much more than another healthy ingredient—it’s a culinary canvas waiting to be explored. Soft, tender and naturally sweet, these immature soybeans are harvested while still green, making them distinctly different from mature soybeans used in tofu or soy milk. Whether served warm in their pods with a sprinkle of sea salt or tossed into colourful salads and rice bowls, edamame delivers flavour, nutrition and satisfaction in every bite.
A favourite appetiser across Japanese restaurants, edamame has earned global popularity among vegetarians, vegans, fitness enthusiasts and anyone seeking wholesome eating. Rich in low-fat plant protein and dietary fibre, it is equally delicious served hot or chilled. The beans can simply be squeezed out of their salted pods or incorporated into countless recipes, making them an ideal snack as well as an everyday cooking ingredient.
Cooking edamame is refreshingly simple. Fresh pods need only a few minutes in boiling salted water or a steamer until perfectly tender, while frozen varieties cook even faster. Their delicate buttery texture and subtle nutty sweetness make them a versatile companion for cuisines from East Asia to India.
Drawing from years of culinary experimentation, Dr Kaviraj Khialani has successfully infused edamame into a variety of Indian and Indo-continental creations. His innovative repertoire includes vibrant edamame chaats, rustic Indian salads, nourishing shorbas, paprika-spiced roasted peanut mashed potatoes enriched with edamame, Indo-Chinese baked eggplant with achari tofu and cheese sauce, and flavourful edamame birishta pulao paired with tangy Tadkewala anari raita finished with aromatic curry leaf dust.
Unlike tofu, which is made from mature soybeans, edamame offers a naturally richer taste profile with hints of sweetness and nuttiness, coupled with a satisfyingly firm bite. Readily available in frozen shelled or unshelled forms, it is increasingly finding its way into supermarket freezer sections, making it convenient for home cooks to experiment with this remarkable ingredient.
Why Edamame Deserves the Superfood Crown
Edamame is not merely delicious—it is a powerhouse of wellness.
- Helps lower cholesterol levels and supports stronger bones.
- Promotes heart health while assisting healthy weight management.
- Improves digestion and may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
- Strengthens immunity and supports healthy liver function.
- Rich in folate, aiding red blood cell formation and efficient energy metabolism.
- An excellent source of plant-based protein and manganese, essential for healthy brain function, nerve health and metabolic activity.
As Indian kitchens increasingly embrace global ingredients without compromising traditional flavours, edamame is emerging as a perfect bridge between nutrition and innovation. With its remarkable health profile and extraordinary versatility, this vibrant green super bean is poised to become one of tomorrow’s most-loved staples—one delicious bite at a time.
Here are a few easy to adapt to recipes using Edamame Beans:
CHICKEN EDAMAME COMBO
Ingredients
Edamame beans-1 cup boiled
Chicken legs- 2 no
For the marination of the chicken legs
Oil-2 tsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Red chili sauce- 1 tsp
Soya sauce- 2 tsp
Tomato ketchup-2 tsp
Honey-1 tsp
Apply on the chicken legs and keep aside for 30 mins.
Additional ingredients
Oil-2 tsp
Garlic-1 tsp chopped
Ginger-1 tsp cut into strips
Spring onions-3-4 sliced
Carrots- ½ cup cubes
White cabbage/purple cabbage- ¼ cup cut
Broccoli /cauliflower-1/2 cup florets blanched
French beans-1/2 cup blanched
Fresh basil leaves- 8-10 no
Soya sauce-2 tsp
Red chili -2 tsp
Water/stock-1/2 cup
Corn starch solution-2-3 tsp
Roasted crushed peanuts-2-3 tsp
Peanut butter-1-2 tsp
Lime juice-2 tsp add and serve.
Method
- Prepare the edamame beans and keep aside. Marinate the chicken legs and cook them in a pan or roast in the oven until well cooked. Pull out the cooked chicken flesh and keep aside for the recipe.
- Heat oil and butter in a pan/wok and saute the ginger, garlic, spring onions for a few seconds, add in the assorted veggies of your choice into the pan and add all seasonings, herbs, sauces, peanut butter etc and mix well.
- Add in little water/stock as desired just to cover the mix in the pan and allow to cook on a low to medium flame for 6-8 mins, add in the pulled cooked chicken pieces, edamame beans, mix and add in the corn starch solution to thicken up the mixture.
- Check for seasonings and texture of the dish and adjust accordingly, serve hot garnished with peanuts, fresh basil leaves and greens and add a splash of lime juice and serve.
EASY EDAMAME TOSSED SALAD
Ingredients
Edamame beans-1 cup boiled/blanched to the bite
Olive oil-2 tsp
Garlic-1 tsp
Shallots/ madras onions- 10-12 peeled, cut 1×2
Green cucumber-1 no cut into small cubes
Red capcisum-1 no, cut into small cubes
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh herbs-2-3 tsp parsley, basil etc
For non-veg variations:
Boiled cubes of eggs- 1-2 eggs
Boiled cubes of boneless chicken
Sliced chicken sausages
Tuna fish- tinned/canned-2 3 tbsp.
For more veggies:
Use sliced blanched Babycorn
Saute assorted mushrooms
Zucchini green/yellow- ½ no cut into cubes
Water chestnuts-1/2 cup sliced
For the dressing:
Olive oil-2 -3 tsp
Honey-2-3 tsp
Lime juice-2-3 tsp
Pink salt/ rock salt/ sea salt to taste
Crushed black pepper to taste
Chili flakes-1/2 tsp
Chaat masala-1/2 tsp
Roasted cumin powder-1/4 tsp
White sesame seeds-2 tsp toasted
Mustard paste-1 tsp
Assorted lettuce leaves-1 cup for the base of the salad.
Method
- prepare all the ingredients for the edamame easy to toss salad.
- arrange the crispy assorted lettuce leaves in a salad bowl/plate.
- in a mixing bowl combine together the ingredients for the dressing and give it all a nice mix.
- add assorted nuts like sliced almonds/walnuts/ pinenuts as well if desired and a few chopped dates too would do well.
- Just before serving add in the ingredients into the dressing including the veg/non-veg as per the list along with the cooked edamame beans and give the salad a nice toss.
- Arrange the salad on a bed of the lettuce and garnish with fresh herbs, sesame seeds, micro-greens etc and serve immediately.
EDAMAME CASHEW FRIED RICE
Ingredients
Edamame beans-1 cup boiled/blanched to the bite
Boiled white/brown rice- 2 cups
Oil- 2 tsp
Garlic-1 tsp chopped
Ginger- 1 tsp shredded
Green chilies-2-3 slit
Red chilies-1-2 slit/shredded
Spring onions-2-3 sliced
Cashews-1/2 cup fried
Carrots-1/2 shredded
French beans-1/4 cup cut thinly
Red/green capsicum-1/4 cup shreds
Water chestnuts-2-3 sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Soya sauce-2 tsp
Red chili sauce-1-2 tsp
Green chili sauce-1-2 tsp
Honey-1 tsp/ pinch of sugar
White vinegar-1 tsp
Spring onion greens-2-3 tbsp. chopped
For more variations: non-veg
Use boiled shredded chicken, roast sliced meat, medium sized prawns, poached or grilled fish could be served along as well.
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for the fried rice recipe and keep ready.
- Heat oil in a wok/ pan saute the ginger, garlic, onions, chilies for a few seconds, add in the assorted veggies, edamame beans and saute for a couple of minutes.
- 3.Add in the sauces and seasonings, vinegar, a pinch of sugar to taste and add your choice of non-veg ingredients as well as desired and mix well.
- If using eggs, we can double fry and shred them/ or use scrambled eggs as well for more taste, color, flavour.
- Now add in the cooked rice and fried cashews and stir it well with the other ingredients and cook for 2-3 mins.
- Check for seasonings adjust as per taste and serve hot garnished with spring onion greens etc and serve hot with a gravy or main course of your choice.
EDAMAME TOFU MUSHROOM TRIO
Ingredients
Edamame beans-1 cup boiled/blanched to the bite
Tofu-1 cup cut into large cubes, use firm or extra firm variety
Fresh button mushrooms-1 cup, sliced
Olive oil-2 tsp
Butter-1/2 tsp
Garlic cloves- 3-4 no sliced
Ginger-1 tsp shredded
Onion-1 small, chopped
Red/ yellow/green capsicum-1/2 cup shredded
Salt and pepper to taste
Mixed herbs and chili flakes to taste
Water/stock-1/2 cup
Corn starch-2-3 tsp to thicken
Soya sauce-2 tsp
Peanut butter-1-2 tsp
Schezuan sauce-1-2 tsp
Honey-1 tsp
Assorted herbs/greens to garnish.
For non-veg variations: use chicken liver marinate and cook it first, also we can use luncheon meat, sausages, salami etc in the similar recipe. We can also use lobster, prawns and shrimps too in a similar recipe with a twist to the usual.
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for the trio combination recipe.
- Marinate the tofu cubes with a little oil, salt, pepper, mixed herbs, garam masala power or a little all spice powder, lime juice, honey and keep aside for 10 mins, grill it and keep aside.
- To prepare the recipe further, heat oil and butter, saute the garlic, onions for a few seconds, add in the assorted veggies and give them a nice saute over a high flame for a couple of minutes.
- Add in little water/stock, sauces, peanut butter seasonings to taste and add in cooked edamame beans as well, mix and simmer for 3-5 mins.
- Add in the corn starch solution and slightly thicken it all up and check for taste, add the tofu towards the end and mix lightly and serve it hot garnished with assorted seeds/ nuts and garnish it.
EDAMAME ALMOND CREAM SOUP
Ingredients
Oil-1 tsp
Butter-1 tsp
Garlic-1 tsp chopped
Bay leaf-1 no
Peppercorns-2-3 no
Onion-1/2 chopped
Celery-1 stalk chopped
Edamame beans-1 cup
Almonds-1/4 cup soaked and peeled, paste.
Fresh cream-1 tbsp.
Water/veg stock- 2-3 cups
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh herbs- to taste like basil, parsley, mint
Chili flakes-1/2 tsp
Sweet potato-1 med sized, peeled and cubed
To serve with: toasted/fried garlic herbed croutons
Method:
- Prepare all the ingredients for the edamame almond cream soup.
- Heat oil and butter in a pan saute the bay leaf, peppercorns, garlic, onions for a minute, add in the sweet potato, edamame beans, seasonings, herbs, chili flakes and saute for 2 mins.
- Add in the stock/ water and bring to a boil, simmer for 12-15 mins until well cooked, cool, puree and strain the mixture.
- Bring it back to a boil, adjust texture of the soup with little stock/water and check for seasonings, add in the almond paste and cream and blend it well, simmer for 3-5 mins.
- Serve hot garnished with slivered almonds, dash of fresh cream, fresh herbs/ micro-greens etc and serve along with bread croutons.
HERBED EDAMAME PEA DIP
Ingredients
Edamame beans-1 cup boiled
Chickpeas-1/4 cup boiled
Garlic-1 tsp chopped
Olive oil-2 tbsp.
Lime juice-1-2 tbsp.
Salt and pepper to taste
Mint leaves- 8-10
Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp. chopped
Roasted crushed cumin- ¼ tsp
Dates-2-3 chopped
Chilled water-2 -3 tbsp.
Tahini paste/ white sesame seed paste-2-3 tsp
Peanuts-2-3 tbsp. roasted
Mayonnaise-2-3 tsp
To serve with: assorted toasted or crusty breads/ crackers/ vegetable sticks/ fried snacks/ french fries etc.
Method
- Assemble all the ingredients for the dip, pre-prep as needed.
- Using a jar of a mixer grinder or food processor, combine together the edamame and the chickpeas together with all other ingredients and churn the mixture to a nice coarsely smooth textured dip.
- Use chilled water/ olive oil to adjust the texture as needed. Taste the flavor for herbs use basil/ thyme as well as an option.
- Use toasted pine nuts or walnuts for a better nutty flavor. The dates used in the recipe add a nice bite and also nutritive value.
- Remove the prepared dip and add a little mayonnaise or whipped hung curd into the mixture for more taste and texture, place it in the fridge until being used. Before serving the dip, garnish it with some toasted sliced nuts, seeds like flax seeds, melon seeds etc for a crunch, serve chilled.
Celebrity Master Chef Dr Kaviraj Khialani is a Mumbai-based hotel-restaurant and food consultant. He is specialised in over 33 international cuisines and has quality experience with hotels and airlines as a part of his long journey of over two decades in his chosen field. Chef Kaviraj is a renowned author, academician, food designer, writer and has also been awarded several national awards and global recognitions for his talent & outstanding achievements. Besides having been featured on several food shows on ColorsTV and Star Plus he is a mentor, coach and guide to aspiring to be future chefs and hoteliers of tomorrow.
He can be contacted at twitter: @kaviraj_chef, Mobile: 91 9820939336. Mail: chefkaviraj249@gmail.com
