Winged Beans

The Winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus), also known as the Goa bean (kacang botol in Malaysia) and Asparagus Pea and Winged Pea (Lotus tetragonolobus), is a tropical legume plant native to Papua New Guinea. It grows abundantly in hot, humid equatorial countries, from the Philippines and Indonesia to India, Burma, Thailand and Sri Lanka. It does well in humid tropics with high rainfall.

This is the time that these winged beans are maturing. They are best eaten when smaller than about 1 inch. Here is one on the vine that is being invaded by countless many others that grow widely in this Miami climate (The leaves of this bean vine are on the top of the photo, lower leaves are from other vines sharing the same fence.) This bean has grown to almost full size, and it's about 6 inches now. Winged beans have parts of its plant that are all edible. The flavor of the beans has a similarity to asparagus. The large attractive flowers are often used to color rice and pastries. The young leaves can be picked and prepared as a leaf vegetable, similar to spinach. The roots can be used as a root vegetable, similar to the potato, and have a nutty flavor; they are also much richer in protein than potatoes. The dried seeds can be used as a flour and also to make a coffee-like drink. Each of these parts of the winged bean provide a source of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, iron, and other vitamins.