Growing Food: A Guide to Food Production

UTILISATION

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haricot bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in many ways, though it is generally less

palatable. In Uganda the seed is normally boiled, then ground and added to

soup. In Mexico the seed is sometimes soaked in water to produce a gelatinous

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  fed to animals.

  
  

LIMITATIONS

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  time, and unfortunately fuel is often in short supply in the very areas where the

  
  


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  below about 8°C.

  
  

Psophocarpus tetragonolobus

The winged bean should not be confused with Lotus tetragonolobus (Syn.
Tetragonolobus purpureus), also known as the winged pea or asparagus pea and
which also has four-sided and four-winged pods. This plant grows wild in the
Mediterranean and is occasionally grown in temperate regions for its young pods,
eaten as a vegetable.
The winged bean is a fast growing perennial legume. It has particular value in
the wet tropics where it provides not only oil and protein in its seed, but also has
protein-rich tubers and edible pods and foliage. This species has excellent potential

284 TONY WINCH

The main use for the tepary bean is for the dried seed, which is similar to the

extract used in soup preparation.

The tepary bean is a fast growing catch crop (page 62) which can also be used

After threshing the pods and haulm—which contain about 10% protein—can be

Tepary beans are very labour intensive at harvest time. The pods dehisce readily.

The seed becomes very hard during storage and needs to be cooked for a long

tepary bean would grow well.

Winged Bean (Four-angled Bean)

Food prepared from tepary bean often has a strong flavour, and may also have a

bad smell ie less palatable than haricot beans.

The plants need hot, bright sunshine with no frost nor temperatures at night

Asparagus Pea or Bean, Dragon Bean, Four-cornered Bean, Goa Bean, Mauritius
Bean, Manila Bean (1), Princess Pea, Wing Bean, Winged Pea; Haricot Dragon, Pois
Ailé, Pois Carré (2) (French); Goabohne (German); Sesquidilla, Judía Careta
(Spanish); Fava de Cavalo (3) (Portuguese); Too-a-poo, Tua Pu (Thailand); Amali,
Batong-baimbing, Burma Haricot, Calamismis, Cigarillas, Sigarilya, Garbanso,
Pallang, Parupa-gulung, Sabidokong, Segidilla, Sererella (Philippines)
(1)Also used for Marrowfat Peas (Pisum sativum) and sometimes for Grass Pea/

Chickling Pea/ Vetch (Lathyrus sativus).
(2)Also used for Bambara Groundnut (Voandzeia subterranea).
(3)Also used for small horse bean (Vicia faba minor).

for green manure (page 69), as a cover crop (page 63) and for animal fodder.