Winged beans - fresh from the vines
#530 - Winged Beans or Winged Pea ( 'Dambala' in Sinhala)
Psophocarpus tetragonolobus.
This bean has been called the "one species supermarket" because practically all of the plant is tasty and edible. The beans are used as a vegetable.The fresh young pods are similar to green beans with a chewy texture and a slightly sweet taste. The taste of the pods is something between a snow pea and asparagus.
They are terrific when grilled and served with dipping sauce.When cooked, the leaves taste like spinach and the flowers like mushrooms. The firm-fleshed roots have a nutty flavor. This remarkable bean offers a high source of protein- upto 20%.