Edamame

Last week I bought some frozen edamame (soybeans in the pod). I cooked and we tried it last night. I had never had it or cooked with it before. I tried it and the pod was so tough and stringy I nearly choked! The beans inside we good though. G helped me to pop the beans out of the pods so we could eat it. My mom said that when she has had it in the past, she just pops the beans out with her teeth right into her mouth. I guess that would have worked, but I couldn't see the kids doing that. Have you ever had edamame? How have you prepared it?