Soybeans for sale in Tsukiji Market, Tokyo, Japan
The Soybean
The soybean rules Asian cuisine. The earliest written records mentioning soybean date back to the 3rd millennium BC. The Chinese have been cultivating soybeans (glycine maximus) for thousands of years. From China, it expanded its rule to Korea and reaching Japan in the 6th century. South East Asian countries also feature soya beans in their cuisine.
Consider all the food products that are derived from these pods:
- tofu aka bean curd
- soy sauce (shoyu)
- black beans paste and sauce
- japanese miso and natto & similar bean pastes
- tempe
- soy milk
- realistic meat alternative (analogs) for ground beef, sausages, etc
- bean sprouts
I haven’t even mentioned soy beans eaten as a snack—what the Japanese call edamame.
The soybean is so important to the Japanese that every new year, they roast them and eat one edamame pod for each year of their age.
Published 22 November 07 · Up Next: Rice, A Japanese Staple · Previously: The History of Tempura
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