Kacang komak is the name
the Indonesian workers called the rare purplish bean they sowed at
the line site.
It is a vigour climber with trifoliate leaves. Flowers in raceme, purplish-green in colour, resemble
of yardlong beans ( Vigna unguiculata
sesquipedalis ).
Yet the fruit pods are somehow similar to semi-inflated green
beans.
A check on Google shows that kacang
komak is a variety of Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweets, a
legume native to Africa, now widely cultivated throughout tropical region.
It is known by many names : Egyptian been, Hyacinth bean, Indian
bean ; faselbohne, helmbohne, schlangenbohne,
batao, wal,vaal, sem, lubia, fiwi, njahi
in Africa ; batao in the Philippines
; avarai in India, etc. Its synonyms include : Dolichos benghalensis Jacq. Dolichos
lablab L. , Dolichos purpureus L.
, Lablab niger Medikus , Lablab vulgaris (L.) Savi , Lablab lablab (L) Lyons, Vigna
aristata Piper.
Flowers, immature pods, seeds, leaves and root are used as
vegetables. Flowers are consumed raw or
cooked in soups. Immature pods can be eaten raw or cooked. Mature seeds must be thoroughly cooked. The seeds can also made into tofu, tempe, or sprouted. Leaves must be cooked before consuming.
It is also used as fodder for grazing, in soil conservation, as green
manure and cover crop, and even as an ornament.
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