The hyacinth bean is edible as long as it is thoroughly cooked. The bean can also be prepared as 'tofu' or be fermented into tempeh in the same way that soya beans are used in Japan. The bean can also be sprouted and eaten raw, when it is comparable to mung bean sprouts.
The tender young seedpods and immature beans can be eaten raw or cooked. They can be used as a green vegetable like french beans. They are also used as a curry vegetable.
The leaves can be eaten when cooked. They can also be dried for later use. The leaves are used as a greens just like spinach.
The flowers can be eaten raw or cooked in soups and stews.
At Terra Centre kindergarten students use the hyacinth beans to learn graphing skills. They open the bean pods, count them and graph the amount collected.
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•May – Seeds are planted for next year’s Kindergarteners to enjoy!
