Sigarilyas to tagalog and known to us Ilocanos as Parlang or Pallang is not that commonly used on vegetable dishes. Sometimes, added to pinakbet but barely has its own dish. Here’s a way to cook Sigarilyas with a twist. Winged Beans in Spicy Canned Tuna(Ginisang sigarilyas sa tuna).
What is winged beans?
The winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus), also known as the goa bean, four-angled bean, four-cornered bean, Manila bean, princess bean, cigarrillas, asparagus bean, dragon bean, is a tropical herbaceous legume plant. Its origin is most likely New Guinea.
It grows abundantly in the hot, humid equatorial countries of South and Southeast Asia. In Southeast Asia and Papua New Guinea, it is widely known but only cultivated on a small scale. Winged bean is widely recognized by farmers and consumers in southern Asia for its variety of uses and disease resistance.
Winged bean is nutrient-rich, and all parts of the plant are edible. Leaves can be eaten like spinach, flowers can be used in salads, tubers can be eaten raw or cooked, seeds can be used in similar ways as the soybean. The winged bean is an underutilized species but has the potential to become a major multi-use food crop in the tropics of Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
The winged bean species belongs to the genus Psophocarpus, which is part of the legume family, Fabaceae. Species in the Psophocarpus genus are perennial herbs grown as annuals. Psophocarpus species have tuberous roots and pods with wings. They can climb by twining their stems around a support. (Source: Wikipedia)
Winged Beans in Spicy Canned Tuna Ingredients
-
-
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 250grams winged bean(sigarilyas) diced
- 180grams spicy canned tuna
- teaspoon of salt
- 7-10 garlic cloves
- 1 medium-sized red onion
-
The cooking procedure is easy. Saute’ first garlic and red onion. Followed by the spicy canned tuna including the oil. Saute’ for another 2-3 minutes on low heat. After 3 minutes, add the winged beans and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes or until the winged beans are cooked. Do not overcook the winged beans so all the vitamins and nutrients will not be lost.
…sigarilyas at mani!
So I hope that when every time you hear the famous Filipino folk song “Bahay Kubo”, you’ll be reminded of this simple dish but not only delicious but also nutritious for winged beans.
