Marama bean

Tylosema esculentum

legume · nuts & seeds

Large round seeds, roasted, tasting of cashew, rich in protein and oil; the young tuber is eaten too.

Origin

Kalahari (Botswana, Namibia)

Where to find it

The San gather its seeds in the dry season; in Botswana and South Africa, trials are trying to cultivate it.

Season (United States)

all year round

Preparation

The seeds are roasted in their shell, in the ashes or in a pan, then cracked to get the kernel; raw, they are not eaten.

Molecules

In small amounts, not counted GOS (galacto-oligosaccharides) · Folates (B9) · Insoluble fibers · Protein

Did you know?

Its tuber can weigh more than 200 kilos.