Green beans
インゲン いんげん ingen
Also known asingen, sayaingen
At its best in Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
When it is at its best
In seasonAvailable
How to cook
Goma-ae
Boiled, cut and dressed with ground sesame, sugar and soy sauce.
Tempura
A few beans bundled together and fried.
Pork-wrapped
Wrapped in thin pork, pan-fried and glazed sweet and salty.
Nibitashi
Briefly simmered in dashi and topped with bonito flakes.
How to choose
Bright, glossy and firm all the way to the tip.
Storage
Bag it against drying and keep it in the vegetable drawer. It does not keep long; use within two or three days.
Main areas
Good to know
The Japanese name, ingen, comes from the tradition that the Chinese monk Ingen brought the bean to Japan in the Edo period. Most varieties today are stringless. Because it can be harvested three times a year, it is also called sandomame, "three-times bean", in the Kansai region.
