Tepary bean - Definition and Overview

The Tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius, Fabaceae) is native to the southwestern US and Mexico and has been grown there by the native peoples since pre-Columbian times. It is more drought-resistant than the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and is grown in desert and semi-desert conditions from Arizona through Mexico to Costa Rica. The water requirements are low and the crop will grow in areas where annual rainfall is less than 400 mm. It has recently been introduced to African agriculture.

Other names for this bean include Pawi, Pavi, Tepari, Escomite and Yori mui. The name tepary may derive from the Papago phrase t'pawi or "It's a bean".

Tepary beans are cooked like other dry beans after soaking. Some Native Americans would toast the dry beans, then grind them into a meal which was mixed with water before eating.

External links

• The Tepary Bean (http://www.slowfood.com/img_sito/riviste/new_slow/EN/38/tepary.html)
• Bean, Tepary -- Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_MV025)
• Traditional O'odham Foods Information Project (http://home.comcast.net/~astessandori/ais/oodham/plants.html)
• Papago Tepary Bean Soup (http://www.ocbtracker.com/ladypixel/papagosoup.html)