Hot edamame with just a little bit of salt is one of my favorite appetizers. When I go out for sushi, one of the first things I order is a basket of edamame. You can pick up frozen edamame at some Asian markets, but you now also have the option of growing your own at home with the Edamame Growing Kit. The kit is meant for a sunny window, meaning that you can have fresh edamame all year round. The kit includes a container, seeds, a wicker basket, and a growing medium. All you need to add is water.
Your plant will grow to about 16 inches tall, sprouting the pea pods known as edamame. The plant itself is actually a soybean plant--the edamame are actually soybean seeds. When the pea pods have rounded out and the peas pop out when you gently squeeze on the pods, they're ready to eat. Cooking them is as simple as boiling the pea pods whole, sprinkling salt over them and eating them as if you were at the local sushi restaurant. The kit comes with more in-depth directions, if needed. It is made in Japan. The Edamame Growing Kit is $15.