Petai, a Super Food

It is amazing how the petai transforms into the bean pods that we are familiar with. This is the first time that a friend has shared the pictures of the petai growing in her garden and I have her consent to share these pictures with you.  Many of us do not realise how the petai evolves.

                                                   This is what we usually see in the market.

Petai has to be taken out from the pod before it can be cooked and it is usually cooked with prawns and a spicy chilli paste . This dish is known as sambal udang petai and is a great favorite with Malaysians.

                                                        The round flat green discs are the petai

The petai is bitter and can be considered a super food. It contains B vitamins which help to calm the central nervous system. It also contains tryptophan, a type of protein which the body converts into serotonin, that makes you relax, improves your mood and generally makes you feel happier.

It is high in fiber and eating it regularly will help those who suffer from constipation

It is extremely high in potassium but low in salt and eating petai regularly can help to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke. Note that any bitter vegetable is good for us, e.g. the bitter gourd.

It's one of my favorite food.