The edamame is still hard after being cooked for 40 minutes

The fact that edamame still remains hard after being cooked for 40 minutes may be related to the age and tenderness of the pods, insufficient heat, or improper pre-treatment. Fresh and tender bean pods can usually be cooked for 15-20 minutes to become soft and tender. If they do not become soft after prolonged cooking, it is necessary to check the quality of the bean pods and the cooking method. The failure of edamame to harden after prolonged cooking is mainly affected by the maturity of the pods. The fibers of the old bean pods are coarse and hard, and the cell wall structure is dense, making it difficult to completely soften even after prolonged heating. The skin color of these pods tends to be yellowish green, with plump and protruding beans. It is recommended to choose fresh and tender pods with tender green color and no obvious protruding beans. When cooking, soak in salt water for 1 hour in advance to help destroy the cell structure. Improper control of heat can also lead to insufficient softening. After the water boils, it should be kept boiling over medium high heat continuously, and the amount of water should completely cover the pods. If simmered over low heat or with insufficient water, the heat cannot effectively penetrate the pods. You can try adding a small amount of edible alkali during cooking. An alkaline environment can accelerate the decomposition of pectin, but the amount should be controlled to avoid nutrient loss. After cooking, turn off the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes to further soften with residual heat. When processing undercooked edamame, you can try peeling off the beans and cooking them separately, or use a pressure cooker to accelerate softening. When selecting in daily life, pay attention to choosing tender pods that are full but not fully ripe. Before cooking, cut off both ends with scissors to facilitate water infiltration. If abnormal hardness occurs for a long time, it is necessary to rule out fiber aging caused by differences in variety or improper storage. It is recommended to combine ingredients rich in vitamin C to promote iron absorption.