Fresh Thai Winged Beans 100g - Imported Weekly from Thailand

 Fresh Thai Winged Beans 100g

Thai Name: Tua poo

This glossy, bright green legume is rather strange looking, averaging from six to nine inches long, with four rather equally spaced, rippled fins (or wings) along the length of each bean pod, hence the origin of is Wing Bean name. Not a very dense or heavy bean pod and fairly square in its natural construction, wing beans tend to be bigger than the common string-bean. With more meat and starch than common string beans, the wing bean flavor is similar but less pungent and more bland overall.

With the best qualities of both the green snap bean and the pea, the wing bean reveals in its taste the flavorful nature of bean sprouts, soy beans, mushrooms, spinach and potatoes. In light of this collection of vegetable virtues agricultural scientists have labeled wing bean a "supermarket on a stalk" and praised it widely.

An abundant supply of essential nutrients comes in the wing bean, comprising complex carbohydrates, protein, B vitamins, iron, fibre and calcium. Wing beans are low in sodium, low in simple carbohydrates and a recent study showed that wing beans could be an effective part of a blood-pressure lowering diet.

With its hard to pin down flavor being none too strong, wing beans become excellent cuisine when seasoned with bolder, more pungent spices and herbs. The beans provide a stock that will not clash with the more flavorful spices and herbs. This occurs in Thai and other Asian dishes with wing bean adoringly mixed with the hot, spicy flavor of onion and garlic; and sweet or acidic flavors.

Added to stir-fry foods and vegetable soups, wing beans are normally thick-sliced and ideal for braises in a wok. This bean should be boiled, not steamed, and paired with Thai red onion, cilantro and sesame oil or a sweet and sour sauce or oil and garlic.

Fresh produce from Thailand.