Monday, November 06, 2006

Green soybean and zucchini rolls

Not sure if you have the same story that I've heard from many others... Your mom like to cook peas or beans if not everyday then every other day. You'd hide them under your plate or secretly wrap in a napkin by the moment your mom just turns her head to check something else... When I was a kid, my mother made money from selling soy pudding (tofu-alike dessert). Naturally she stocked up a lot of soy beans (yellow, matured) at home, and more naturally she cooked them very often for dinner. Maybe because they're too meely and mushy, or they just remind me too much of those hardship days, I really haven't ever enjoyed them. Later I had a chance to taste green soybeans (edamame) , suprised, I found them quite similar to chestnut, just without the sweetness. And cracking that little hairy shell is so much fun, besides of gossiping with my girlfriends over dinning table.

Ingredients: (one medium-large zucchini yields about 10 rolls)
  • a bowl of frozen edamame
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 tsp of chicken powder
  • 1 - 2 shallots finely diced
  • a pinch dried rosemary
  • spoonfuls of ground pecorino

    Directions:
    1. Rinse the frozen edamame. Place them in a small pot with water, bring to boil. Add spoonful of oil, chicken powder, a pinch of salt, simmer for 10 minutes (mine is in shell). Shelled, and process the beans.
    2. In a small skillet, heat up spoonfuls of oil, saute the shallots over low heat, scoop them up before they turn too brown. Save the oil.
    3. In a mixing bowl, combine the bean puree, shallots, rosemary and pecorino, salt and pepper to taste. Set the bowl aside.
    4. (I like to briefly cook zucchini, you can skip the grilling if you prefer raw). Slice the zucchini with a peeler, brush with shallot oil, sprinkle little salt, grill them for a very short time (too long the slices getting too soft are hard to lift up)
    5. Spread the bean mixture on zucchini slices before roll up. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil to serve.

    24 comments:

    Anonymous said...

    They look really cute! Can I have one.
    Ciao.

    Ilva said...

    What a wonderful idea! And they look so delicious too!

    Lis said...

    What a fantastic idea. I've rolled good things up in eggplant, but never zucchini! Yum!

    Saffron said...

    Green is the word!!so nice!

    Krithika said...

    What a gorgeous creation !!

    Anonymous said...

    Gattina, this looks absolutely fantastic and delicious.

    Callipygia said...

    I like edamame too and found it makes a great puree a la hummus. These look good.

    Anonymous said...

    absolutely adorable! I've had soy everything (tofu, milk, cheese, ice-cream, sausages, the list goes on) but I've never had actual edamame. If I can get my hands on some, this looks like a tasty recipe to try!

    Nabeela said...

    oh those look so pretty pretty pretty!

    Anonymous said...

    As always, you are so great with presentation.

    Ana said...

    This look delicious! I like all the ingredients you used, it must have been a very flavorfull dish!
    Ana

    Anonymous said...

    oh yum, look at those cuties! I love this idea. Always love zucchinis rolled this way, and with the edamame beans, splendid clever idea!

    Anonymous said...

    that looks delish delish delish! it took me a while to figure out how you made that (even after reading the instructions)! i was like? huh? where is the zucchini? how is the bean paste staying up like that? haha :D

    then i realised.. OH the zucchini is a LONG STRIP wrapping it up!! looks really healthy too. beans and veg.

    genius u are so creative (: i think asian fusion is phenomenal btw!

    oh you should start a restaurant :D

    Unknown said...

    Gattina, another magazine style presentation :) I love to snack on edamame too, very additive!

    Edith said...

    You are sooooo talented. Your hubby must be the luckiest man to have such a great cook cum wife.

    Anonymous said...

    simply lovely, grill marks on zucchini look awesome and the rolls look fresh and appetizing!

    Gattina Cheung said...

    Sher, I remember you added this beans into your wild rice salad, that's where I learnt the name, as I only called it green soybean.

    Orchidea, sure, my friend!

    Ilva, if you like zucchini and adamame, it's your dish :D

    Lis, eggplant is my another favorite veg!

    Saffron, thanks, that's right, green!

    Krithika, thanks for your compliement!

    Burcu, thank you so much for the lovely comment!

    Callipygia, I never have hummus, I think I'll try to make it some days.

    Ellis, you eat so health! Good for you gal!

    nabeela, thank you thank you thank you very much, hehee...

    Peabody, oh, you're so sweet!

    ana, thank you so much for the comment!

    Bea, I remember you did something zucchini "cup" or roll something like that. So easy and the result is fantastic!

    tjiana, oh, I should have snapped some step-to-step fotos, thanks to bring up the point! And what a lovely message you gave to me! So happy to have your visit!

    Angie, I go brew some tea and boil some edamame... a simple tea time, join me my friend :D

    Edith, oh I'm all flattered! I'm actually more luckier, have someone like him willing to eat everything I made, hehee...

    Monisha, I like something with the same color, like this one everything is green. Glad the result is nice. Thanks for your comment!

    Anonymous said...

    how do u do it? take such wonderful pictures.. i just want to sit and stare at ur blog.

    Anonymous said...

    Just a simple "WOW". wouldn't do justice to this fabulous creation ! I liked the whole tone of these photos. Great !!!!

    Lakshmi said...

    they look amazing. The pictures are perfect. wonderful presentation as usual

    Gracio said...

    Beautiful roll!!! :) :) :)

    Anonymous said...

    They look divine and sounds delicious!

    Yum.

    FH said...

    Such beeautiful color, Gattina!Great pics as always.Delicious!

    Anonymous said...

    Wow - how do you get the rolls to close, though?