Soybeans

Sort and rinse them, soak overnight in plenty of water, then drain. Cover with fresh water and simmer until completely tender, usually about 2–3 hours; a pressure cooker takes roughly 25–35 minutes.

No. Dried soybeans contain compounds that are reduced by thorough cooking, so don’t eat them raw or merely soaked. Cook them until soft all the way through; frozen edamame should also be cooked as directed on the pack.

Yes: edamame are soybeans picked while still green and immature. They cook much faster than dried mature soybeans and are often served in their pods as a snack; don’t eat the pods.

Cool them promptly, then keep them in a covered container in the fridge and use within three days. For longer storage, freeze cooked beans in meal-sized portions with a little cooking liquid.

Add them to soups, stews and grain bowls, or mash them with herbs and lemon for a spread. In Japanese cuisine, mature soybeans are also roasted as iri-daizu and ground into kinako.

For a similar role in soups or stews, use white beans or black beans; both are milder and lower in protein per 100 g than soybeans. For a firmer, nuttier bite, try cooked chickpeas.

A serving of about 100 g of cooked soybeans provides 33 g of protein. They also provide 14 g of fibre per 100 g.