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In the monsoon season, the rainfall transforms our land into a vibrant and lush green landscape. After a few weeks of rain, we can harvest an attractive green product—hariyo bhatmas. The color of these green soybeans is brighter and the taste is smoother than any other variety of beans.

Hariyo bhatmas sadeko (soybean salad) is one of the most famous dishes in the local eateries of Kathmandu. It goes well with everything, from chiura (beaten rice) to even regular daal bhat. And it’s one of the best snacks for those who like a drink in the evening.

Hariyo bhatmas is rich in protein, calcium, vitamins, fiber, and other nutrients like vitamin K, vitamin B6, thiamine, vitamin C, iron, manganese, phosphorous, copper, potassium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, and calcium. It’s a good source of antioxidants, which boost metabolism.

Hariyo bhatmas helps boost metabolism, reduces heart problems, protects against cancer, improves digestion, and enhances bone health. It also lowers the risk of diabetes. Making Hariyo bhatmas sadeko is easy. You just have to boil green beans for 10 to 15 minutes on medium flame, ensuring you don’t boil it for too long to preserve the real taste. Add salt to the water while boiling. Meanwhile, prepare other spices by cutting ginger and garlic into thin strips, adding salt and juice of half a lemon, and let it sit for 10 minutes.

 Afterward, add cut green chili and mix well. Remove the cover from soybeans, add it to the ginger-garlic mixture. Adjust salt, chili, and lemon juice according to your taste. Heat oil in a pan, fry fenugreek seeds until black, turn off the flame, add turmeric powder, and pour the oil into the mixture. Garnish with coriander leaves and delicious Sadeko Bhatmas is ready to serve.

Now, what about Edamame? Edamame is essentially green soybeans with great branding. It has global recognition and a written history, unlike our hariyo bhatmas sadeko, which lacks branding, and history, and is served as a simple Nepali snack in local eateries.

Edamame is immature green soybeans, widely used in Asian cuisine and recently gaining popularity in the West as a snack. Edamame is typically sold in pods, but unlike peapods, the pods are not meant to be eaten. Instead, the soybeans are boiled in the pods and then eaten separately. In the US, you can find edamame in the frozen food section, and some stores, especially health food stores, might also sell it in the snack aisles.

Edamame is gaining popularity in the West as a superfood because each serving of edamame contains plenty of fiber as well as omega-3 fatty acids. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends diets high in both to reduce your risk of heart disease. In addition to being a decent source of soy protein, edamame is rich in healthy fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin K. These plant compounds may reduce the risk of heart disease and improve the blood lipid profile, a measure of fats including cholesterol and triglycerides.

Unlike other beans, edamame is low in carbohydrates, which can make eating them less likely to raise blood sugar levels. Although edamame is the same soybean that makes tofu, it has more taste than the bland bean curd. It is faintly reminiscent of peas and is buttery with a hint of sweetness and nuttiness. The texture is firmer than a pea. It’s soft but with a bite.

Edamame has a rich history in Japanese cuisine, dating back to 1638. We don’t have a written history of green soybeans, but it’s believed they might have traveled through Tibet to Nepal.

Edamame has the potential to transform Nepal’s agriculture and make a mark globally.

Edamame is a nutritional powerhouse, rich in plant-based protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, making it an ideal addition to a balanced diet. It’s easy to grow in Nepali soil and climate, offering farmers a sustainable and lucrative crop.

Embracing edamame as a cash crop has the potential to transform Nepal’s agricultural story. With its nutritional benefits and global demand, especially in Japanese restaurants, edamame export from Nepal can boost its economy. Imagine this nutrient-rich delight, infused with Nepali flavors—steamed, marinated with local spices like timmur-salt or roasted cumin salt—appearing on menus in Nepali restaurants worldwide.

However, unleashing this potential requires efforts like educating farmers, incentivizing cultivation, and gaining governmental support. Collaboration between farmers, industries, and governmental bodies can create a strong supply chain, showcasing ‘Produce of Nepal’ edamame as a premium product.

 Integrating edamame into Nepali restaurant menus globally can promote Nepali produce, elevate culinary identity, empower local communities, and support economic growth and agricultural sustainability.

By harnessing its nutritional benefits, exploring export opportunities, and integrating it into global cuisines, we can celebrate Nepal’s agricultural heritage and enhance its culinary presence worldwide. It’s time to embrace edamame, not just as a bean but as a symbol of Nepal’s agricultural brilliance and gastronomic innovation.

The author is a UK-based R&D chef

Police on Wednesday made public Ram Bahadur Bomjon, who was arrested on the charges of murder and sexual violence.

A Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police made public a controversial ascetic by organizing a press conference this afternoon.

The CIB had launched ‘Operation Blue’ to apprehend him.

SSP Dinesh Achary of the CIB said that Bomjon will be sent to Sarlahi District Court for further action.

A case has been field at the Sarlahi District Court against him.

A team of CIB detained Bomjon from Hattigauda of Kathmandu on Tuesday.

Police had confiscated Nepali and foreign currencies from his house.

Out of which, Rs 30.3 million Nepali currency and foreign currency equivalent to Rs 3.092 million were confiscated from his possession, the CIB said.

Similarly, police have also recovered 14 sets of mobile phones, 20 pen drives, two vehicles and four motorbikes among others from his residence.

Two persons died when a jeep met with an accident at Barali Thumka in Bhimad Municipality-3 of Tanahun district on Wednesday.

Santosh Paudel, Chief at the District Traffic Police Office, Tanahun, said that the ill-fated jeep (Ga 1 Ja 6356) was heading towards Rampur from Pokhara when the incident occurred at around 9: 30 am today.

He said that the identity of the deceased has not been ascertained yet.

According to him, two persons died on the spot and nine others were injured in the accident.

Among the injured, four have been taken to Pokhara for treatment while five are undergoing treatment at the GP Koirala National Center For Respiratory Diseases in Tanahun.

It has been learnt that the jeep fell some 300 meters down the road.

Police said that they have arrested the jeep driver for investigation.

The year 2023 witnessed a significant movement of Nepali citizens seeking opportunities, education, and a new chapter in their lives. The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) has unveiled compelling insights into the diverse reasons and destinations that have shaped the migration trends of Nepalis.

A staggering total of 1,603,836 Nepalis embarked on journeys to different corners of the globe in 2023. What makes this migration wave intriguing is the varied purposes that propelled these individuals to leave the country.

Among the migrants, 70,915 Nepalis chose to make a new home abroad, embracing permanent residency. This group, comprising 36,663 males and 34,251 females, reflects a growing desire for stability and long-term settlement beyond their homeland. Political instability, poor economy and lack of job and business opportunities are driving many individuals and families to migrate. 

The pursuit of employment opportunities also led a significant number, 808,415 to be exact, to venture abroad under employment visas. Notably, 271,088 Nepalis landed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), signaling the lure of job prospects in the Middle East. While these migrant workers are an integral part of Nepal’s remittance-reliant economy, their departure also reveals the sorry state of rural Nepal, where villages are either empty or populated only by women, children and elderly citizens. 

Government ministers and politicians boast of road, education and electricity access in far-flung regions of the country, but the reality is that the number of beneficiaries is fast dwindling. Excess migration has also caused the farmland in many parts of the country to go uncultivated.   

Besides job opportunities, education is another key catalyst that is prompting Nepali youths to visit abroad, with 108,542 Nepalis opting for student visas. The surge in applications for no objection letters for overseas studies suggests a growing appetite for educational pursuits beyond national borders. It is important to note that until and unless the government creates career opportunities at home, foreign educated youths are less likely to return to the country. 

The top destinations for Nepali migrants in 2023 spanned across India, Qatar, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Japan, the US, the UK, Kuwait, South Korea, Thailand, Canada, China, and Hong Kong. This diverse list underlines the global footprint of Nepali citizens seeking opportunities that are not available at home.

The 2021 census reveals a notable shift, with the number of women migrating abroad increasing by a remarkable 71 percent over the past decade. Out of the 2,169,478 Nepalis residing abroad, 404,103 are females, reflecting a changing trend in gender dynamics among migrants. This also comes with its own sets of challenges, particularly concerning trafficking of women. 

Stories about Nepali women getting trafficked to an unknown country and getting abused and tortured are all too common. Human trafficking rackets under the guise of overseas job agencies have long been supplying Nepali women, mainly to the Middle East, by luring them with the promise of well-paying jobs. 

A closer look at the data reveals a spike in Nepalis heading to countries like Poland, Malta, and Portugal. The allure of permanent residency has drawn 10,638 Nepalis to Portugal, 5983 to Malta, and 5834 to Poland. Recently, there have been reports about Nepalis paying exorbitant amounts of money to the so-called foreign employment companies and agents to enter Europe and North America. 

Reports have also emerged about Nepalis being recruited in Russia's army in its conflict with Ukraine. The numbers indicate that 1,795 Nepalis visited Russia, with the majority under visit visas, since the war broke out in February 2022. Additionally, 95 Nepalis ventured to Ukraine during these tumultuous times. Nearly a dozen Nepalis have lost their lives in the war and many more are said to be injured or missing, but the government has done little to investigate their whereabouts and bring them back home. 

The 2023 migration trend paints a stark reality of Nepal, a country caught in a deep mire of corruption, poor economy, political instability and unemployment. It also paints a complex tapestry of dreams, challenges and aspirations of its citizens.