Know your Asparagus pea

Know your Asparagus pea - Introduction

• The Asparagus Pea (Lotus tetragonolobus) is a tropical legume plant native to Papua New Guinea.

• It grows abundantly in hot, humid equatorial countries, from the Philippines and Indonesia to India, Burma, Thailand and Sri Lanka.

• It does well in humid tropics with high rainfall. There are also varieties that can be grown in most areas of Europe and USA.

• This unusual vegetable has a unique flavour, a bit like a cross between tender asparagus and fresh young peas.

• Asparagus Pea is a very pretty plant which looks as good in the flower border as it does in the vegetable plot.

Know your Asparagus pea - Cultivation

• The plant is one of the best nitrogen fixers with nodulation accomplished by the soil bacterium Rhizobium.

• Because of its ability to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, the plant requires very little or no fertilizers.

• Being a tropical plant, it is sensitive to frost.

• Most plants will not flower if the day length is less than 12 hours, although day length neutral cultivars do exist.

• It is very easy to grow and does not require any support.

• They prefer a light, well-drained soil in a sunny position and regular watering.

• As a member of the legume family, the roots of the plant will fix extra nitrogen into the soil, making it ideal for brassicas the following year.

Know your Asparagus pea - Harvesting

• The small winged pods should be harvested when young, giving a superb flavour akin to Asparagus.

• The plant will crop all summer long if picked regularly.

• They have brilliant scarlet flowers and need no staking, but the pods are well camouflages and 'hunt the pod' is a fun game for the children.

Know your Asparagus pea - Culinary Use

• The young seedpods can be used in the kitchen either raw or cooked. They can be added to salads, lightly steamed as a vegetable and served with a little melted butter, or added to soups, stews etc. The taste is said to resemble asparagus.

• Only the very young pods, when less than 2cm (1in) long, should be used, since the older pods quickly turn fibrous.

• No flavouring should be used as this will destroy its own delicious taste.

• The seedpods of this vegetable are considered by many to be a gourmet food, though it is not a very high yielding crop.

• In addition, the seed can be cooked and used like peas.

• The roasted seed is said to be used as a coffee substitute, but we have no experience or confirmation of that use.