Parkia speciosa

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Parkia speciosa (petai, twisted cluster bean, yongchaak or stink bean), 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.

They are an acquired taste, but are popular in southern Thailand, Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia and North-eastern India and are sold in bunches, still in the pod, or the seeds are sold in plastic bags. They are exported in jars or cans, pickled in brine.

Depending on the country of origin they may be labelled peteh, petai, yongchaak or sataw (sometimes spelled sator). They are best when combined with other strong flavoured foods such as garlic, chile peppers, and dried shrimp, as in "sambal petai" or added to a Thai curry such as Thai Green Curry of Duck. When young the pods are flat because the seeds have not yet developed, and they hang like a bunch of slightly twisted ribbons, pale green, almost translucent. At this stage they may be eaten raw, fried or pickled. In North-eastern India, the seeds are dried and seasoned for later consumption. When dried the seeds turn black.