[Hitwoman]

Hi - I am looking at growing some different beans this year.  In the catalogues I can see Elena Soya beans and Edamme beans which are also described as soya.  The Caralogues suggest that you can eat Edamme beans raw, but the Elena beans all infer they are for drying and later boiling/simmering before use.  Is this correct or can you eat Ekeba beans raw in salads too if they are picked early enough? Thanks

[mumofstig]

The RHS suggests the only difference is that the Edamame beans are harvested before the beans ripen, but this site
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/growing-and-harvesting-edamame-zmaz02jjzgoe

says

Edamame soybeans are different varieties than the types grown as a dry field crop for making tofu, soybean oil or other soy products. Edamame varieties are harvested while they are still green, before the pods dry, much like shelling peas.

[New shoot]

Elena are a variety specially developed to perform here in the UK and I grow them quite often for eating as edamame.  They are dwarf plants that produce a lot of pods and are no trouble. 

I have left them to ripen before now and they will produce dried beans for you, but tbh you will struggle to tell the difference between them and decent quality bought soy beans. 

In my book, they are not special enough to make it worth me growing a dried crop, unlike some of my other favourites like Cherokee Trail of Tears, which are lovely nutty flavoured black beans, or borlotti, which are much better when you grow them yourself.

As edamame, I quick boil them in salted water for 5 minutes or you can freeze them in the pods and cook them as and when you need them.  All edamame in Japan are boiled before eating, so I follow suit 

[Hitwoman]

Many thanks to you both.

I am not a fan of dried beans, but if I can boil the Elena variety and eat them as Edameme then I will give them a go!