One of the most popular beans in Fujian is what we Foochows call Cheng Dou.
It is broad beans. People in South east Asias eat them in the form of salted deep fried nibbles which go very well with beer.
they are also popularly served during Chinese New Year.
It was one of those lovely evenings in Fujian when I was having a nice walk with friends after a tiring day of discussion. We went out to feel the warm air in the village streets. It was lovely to discover a whole alley of farmers selling their crops. There were also other vendors who were selling their herbs.
In the setting sun we felt the vibrancy of the farmers and their enthusiasm to promote their products.
Knowing that we were definitely from "outside" they were very interested in showing us what they had. some even took time to describe where they came from and the various prices for their products!! they did know their products very well.
I was glad I chose to have some free time to walk down the streets to learn about local culture.
There are many ways of cooking fresh broad beans. the lady in my photo is preparing them for her dinner. She can stir fry the broad beans with Chinese sausages or with potatoes. Broad beans can just be boiled in salt water and eaten in a salad with other raw vegetables.
The westerners love broad beans in soups, some times as a delightful creamy soup. Cooked Broad beans can also be blended with cooked potatoes and cooked with ham to make a very nice soup.
The list can go on and on.
It is nice to eat fresh broad beans.
However one has to be cautious not to eat too much braod beans as one may develop allergies. Pregnant women are also advised not to eat too much broad beans.
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