Bitter Beans. Stink Beans. Petai Stock Image

Parkia speciosa & x28;petai& x29;, Zeliang Naga calls it Kampi& x28;Dimasa:Barthai; Mizo: Zawngṭah, Paite: Zawngtah, Thadou : Jonglha; Manipuri: Yongchak; Gangte: Zawngtah; Indonesia: pete; Thai: สะตอ; RTGS: sato; Rongmei; Kam or Kamapi; English: bitter bean, twisted cluster bean, or stink bean& x29; is a plant of the genus Parkia in the family Fabaceae. It bears long, flat edible beans with bright green seeds the size and shape of plump almonds which have a rather peculiar smell, similar to, but stronger than that of the shiitake mushroom, characterised by some as being similar to natural gas. Pods are gathered from the wild, or from cultivated trees: they are exported in jars or cans, pickled in brine, or frozen. They are best when combined with other strongly flavoured foods such as garlic, chili peppers, dried shrimp or shrimp paste, as in sambal petai