Lupini beans, a legume of the Lupinus genus, are a popular Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. The best type to eat depends on personal preference, with dried beans requiring preparation and potted beans sold in a pickle mix. New cultivars with lower alkaloid levels have been created, but still require soaking to remove bitterness. Lupini beans have been cultivated for over 2,000 years and are now a global culinary treasure.
Lupini beans, also called lupine beans, are an edible legume of the genus Lupinus. Choosing the best lupini bean to eat comes down to your personal preference, and there are several options to choose from. Due to the high alkaloid levels in beans, new cultivars, sometimes called sweet lupins or lupins, have been created with lower alkaloid levels. The beans can also be prepared on their own, but the process is involved and takes place over the course of a week. Lupini beans are best known in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine and are commonly prepared at Italian festivals and fairs.
When choosing the best lupini beans to eat, there are a couple of choices available. Dried types need to be properly prepared, which can take days or are inedible. For a quick snack, potted varieties are a better choice. Potted versions are typically sold in a pickle mix and eaten as a snack straight from the container. These versions may be saltier than making the beans from scratch, which is why many people prefer to choose dried rather than prepared.
Traditional lupini beans have high levels of alkaloids which can be toxic. Alkaloids are compounds that can be actively poisonous when consumed. The bitter-tasting compound is not as prevalent in the more recently produced selections. German cultivars called sweet lupins or sweet lupins beans were created during the 1920s. These varieties have very few alkaloids; however, they still require special attention before eating.
Preparing lupini beans requires a soaking process to remove the bitter alkaloids. Some cooks use a saline solution of water and salt for soaking; however, they can also be simply immersed in water. The legumes are covered with cold water and left to soak for 12-24 hours, after which the water is drained and fresh water added. They are cooked for an hour or two or until tender and then the soaking process resumes. For the next 5 to 7 days, the old water is drained and new water is added daily until the water or brine is clear and free of potentially toxic alkaloids.
The cooking of lupini beans is completed through the soaking process. The cooking process is done after the first soak which makes them tender. The beans are kept refrigerated during the soaking process which helps preserve them for future use. When they’re ready to eat, the skins can be removed or left intact. They are commonly eaten as a snack or topped with a favorite condiment such as olive oil or lemon juice for a flavorful side dish.
The cultivation of lupini beans dates back to around 2,000 years ago, when they were a source of food for early pre-Inca civilizations, early Egyptians and Romans. Widely popular throughout the Mediterranean region, the popularity of the white lupins, L. albus, later spread throughout Europe. With immigration to the west, this fiber-rich legume has become a global culinary treasure. Beginning in the 21st century, lupine plants have been successfully cultivated and cultivated in the United States and other non-native regions.
In North America, these beans are commonly known as lupins or lupins, while, in Europe and the Mediterranean, the beans are referred to as lupins. The different varieties will display a range of white to blue colored blooms. One such variety, L. angustifolius, is called the blue lupine in Europe; however, it was bred in the 1980s in Australia to produce white flowers. Because of its flowering colour, this Australian variety is sometimes referred to as the white lupine, confusing it with the Mediterranean and European species L. albus.
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