Velvet bean

Mucuna pruriens

legume

Large seeds boiled several times with the water discarded, then cooked in stew or roasted into a drink, in India, Nigeria and Benin.

Origin

Tropical South Asia and Africa

Where to find it

Grown as a cover crop in fields in Benin and Nigeria; in India, its seeds are sold in Ayurvedic herbal shops as “kapikachhu”.

Season (United States)

all year round

Preparation

Always boiled several times, discarding the water: raw, the seeds contain a lot of L-dopa, which causes nausea and disorders. Do not touch the hairs on the pods.

Molecules

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

Did you know?

Its pods are covered in terribly itchy hairs: it is also called “itching bean”.