Lablab purpureus

Lablab purpureus
Hyacinth bean plant
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Fabales
Family:	Fabaceae
Genus:	Lablab
Species:	L. purpureus
Binomial name
Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet

Lablab purpureus (syn. Dolichos lablab L., Dolichos purpureus L., L. niger Medikus, L. lablab (L.) Lyons, Vigna aristata Piper, and L. vulgaris (L.) Savi^[1]), commonly known as the hyacinth bean, Indian bean, seim (Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago), Egyptian bean, njahi (in the Kikuyu language of Kenya), bulay (Tagalog), bataw (Bisaya), or đậu ván (Vietnamese), a species of bean in the family Fabaceae, is widespread as a food crop throughout the tropics, especially in Africa, India and Indonesia. A traditional food plant in Africa, this little-known vegetable has potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development and support sustainable landcare.^[2]. It is called avarekaalu (Kannada: ಅವರೆಕಾಳು) in Karnataka and it is very famous for its curry (avarekalu saaru), salad (avarekaalu usli), it is added for upma (avrekaalu uppittu), and for Akki rotti (flatbread made with rice flour) to make it more delicious. Sometimes the outer peel of the seed is taken out and the inner soft part is used for a variety of dishes. That form, hitakubele avarekalu, means pressed (hitaku) hyancinth bean. It is called avarai (அவரை) or mochai (மொச்சை - synonymous with அவரை) in Tamil. In western Maharashtra, especially Konkan region, these beans are grown as vaal (वाल).

Growth

Seeds of the purple hyacinth bean

The hyacinth bean grows as a vine, producing purple flowers and striking electric-purple coloured seed pods. Lablab bean is a good choice for a quick screen on a trellis or fence. It grows fast, has beautiful, fragrant flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds, and it even produces edible leaves, flowers, pods, seeds and roots. Dry seeds are poisonous due to high concentrations of cyanogenic glucosides, and can only be eaten after prolonged boiling.^[3]

Pods of hyacinth bean

Uses

It is often grown as forage ^[4] and as an ornamental plant.^[5] In addition, this plant is also cited as a medicinal plant and a poisonous plant.^{[6] [7]}

In Maharashtra, a special spicy curry, known as vaala che birde (वालाचे बीरडे), is often used during fasting festivals during Shravan month.

In the Telangana region of India, bean(చిక్కుడు) pods are cut into small pieces and cooked as spicy curry in Pongal festival season, along with bajra bread; it has been a very special delicacy for centuries.

In Huế, Vietnam, it is the main ingredient of the dish chè đậu ván.

In Kenya, it is known as njahi, and is popular among the Kikuyu group. It is thought to encourage lactation and has historically been the main dish for breastfeeding mothers.^{[citation needed]} Beans are boiled and mashed with ripe and/or semiripe bananas, giving the dish a sweet taste.

The leaves are used as greens, but have to be cooked like spinach and the water has to be discarded.^[8]

References

1. ^ Lablab purpureus at Multilingual taxonomic information from the University of Melbourne
2. ^ National Research Council (2006-10-27). "Lablab". Lost Crops of Africa: Volume II: Vegetables. Lost Crops of Africa. 2. National Academies Press. ISBN 978-0-309-10333-6. http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=11763&page=191. Retrieved 2008-07-15. 
3. ^ "Dolichos lablab". Floridata. http://www.floridata.com/ref/D/doli_lab.cfm. Retrieved 2008-10-23. 
4. ^ Lablab purpureus at FAO
5. ^ Lablab purpureus at Missouri Botanical Garden
6. ^ Lablab purpureus at Plants For A Future
7. ^ Lablab purpureus at North Carolina State University
8. ^ PFAF - Lablab purpureus

External links

• The Hyacinth Bean - Informative but non-scholarly essay on Hyacinth Bean history, uses, etymology.
• The Banglalore bean
• Murphy, Andrea M.; Colucci, Pablo E. A tropical forage solution to poor quality ruminant diets: A review of Lablab purpureus Livestock Research for Rural Development (11) 2 1999
• JSTOR Plant Science
• University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India - Lablab lab