white/haricot beans

Phaseolus vulgaris, also known as the common bean, green bean and French bean, among other names, is a herbaceous annual plant grown worldwide for its edible dry seeds or unripe fruit (both commonly called beans). The main categories of common beans, on the basis of use, are dry beans (seeds harvested at complete maturity), snap beans (tender pods with reduced fibre harvested before the seed development phase) and shell (shelled) beans (seeds harvested at physiological maturity). Its leaf is also occasionally used as a vegetable and the straw as fodder. Its botanical classification, along with other Phaseolus species, is as a member of the legume family Fabaceae, most of whose members acquire the nitrogen they require through an association with rhizobia, a species of nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
The common bean is a highly variable species that has a long history of cultivation. All wild members of the species have a climbing habit, but many cultivars are classified either as bush beans or dwarf beans, or as pole beans or climbing beans, depending on their style of growth. These include the kidney bean, the navy bean, the pinto bean, and the wax bean. The other major types of commercially grown bean are the runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus) and the broad bean (Vicia faba). Beans are grown on every continent except Antarctica. Worldwide, 27 million tonnes of dried beans and 24 million tonnes of green beans were grown in 2016. In 2016, Myanmar was the largest producer of dried beans, while China produced 79% of the world total of green beans.
The wild P. vulgaris is native to the Americas. It was originally believed that it had been domesticated separately in Mesoamerica and in the southern Andes region, giving the domesticated bean two gene pools. However, recent genetic analyses show that it was actually domesticated in Mesoamerica first, and traveled south, probably along with squash and maize (corn). The three Mesoamerican crops constitute the "Three Sisters" central to indigenous North American agriculture.

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  1. Elawin

    Recipe Middle Eastern White Beans

    This is a typical Middle Eastern recipe and can be eaten hot or at room temperature with rice or flat breads. The addition of a little extra stock turns it into a delicious soup. You can also use it as a superb accompaniment to lamb. Cooking time: For the stock, 60 minutes plus standing time...
  2. SatNavSaysStraightOn

    Recipe Roasted Garlic, Parsnip and White Bean Soup

    I came across this recipe whilst looking for my Persian bean soup recipe from my Veggistan book which sadly it's in a shipping container being shipped from the UK to Australia. I had thought it would have been an ideal recipe for the current CookingBites recipe challenge but... instead I found...
  3. winterybella

    Recipe White Bean and Kale Soup

    I have seen some speak of soup in the cold of winter but on a summer's day I am happy with a bowl of soup all the same. Granted, soup in my household is requested mostly when someone is ill but I still like to stock up my soup recipes. So here goes my White Bean and Kale Soup. Just so you know...
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