Edamame, or soy beans, grow on small, bushy stalks to about 1-2" tall. They're almost as easy to prepare as the frozen, bagged variety ubiquitous in grocery stores: Just pick the pods from the stalk, boil, shock, and proceed. You can toss them with salt and eat the beans, or shell them and use the beans in a purée, salad, or grain bowl.
HOW TO BUY
Look for fully-formed, plump and slightly fuzzy pods; they will contain mature, ripe soybeans. Avoid pods that have turned brown or black—it's a sign of over maturity.
HOW TO STORE
Like sweet corn, edamame begins losing its flavor the moment its picked. Try to eat it within a day or two of picking, or else blanch, shock, dry, and freeze the pods (pick them from the stalk, first).
Be bold: Sauté your edamame in a hot skillet with chiles.