The kidney bean is a variety of the common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris), its common name due to its resemblance to a human kidney.
Classification
There are different classifications of kidney beans, such as:
-
Red kidney bean (also known as common kidney bean, Rajma in India, surkh/laal (red) lobia in Pakistan).
-
Light speckled kidney bean (and long shape light speckled kidney bean).
-
Red speckled kidney bean (and long shape light speckled kidney bean).
-
White kidney bean (also known as cannellini in Italy and the UK, lobia in India, or safaid (white) lobia in Pakistan).
Nutrition
Kidney beans, cooked by boiling, are 67% water, 23%
, 9% protein, and contain negligible
fat. In a 100-gram reference amount, cooked kidney beans provide of
food energy, and are a rich source (20% or more of the
Daily Value, DV) of protein,
folate (33% DV),
iron (22% DV), and
phosphorus (20% DV), with moderate amounts (10–19% DV) of
thiamine,
copper,
magnesium, and
zinc (11–14% DV).
Dishes
Red kidney beans are used in the cuisine of
India, where the beans are known as
rajma and
Pakistan where they are called surkh lobia. Red kidney beans are commonly used in chili con carne and used in southern
Louisiana for the classic Monday Creole dish of red beans and rice. The smaller, darker red beans are also used, particularly in Louisiana families with a recent Caribbean heritage. In Jamaica, they are referred to as red peas. Small kidney beans used in La Rioja, Spain, are called
caparrones. In the
Netherlands and
Indonesia, kidney beans are usually served as a soup called
brenebon.
In the
Levant, a common dish consisting of kidney bean stew usually served with rice is known as
fasoulia. To make bean paste, kidney beans are generally prepared from dried beans and boiled until they are soft, at which point the dark red beans are pulverized into a dry paste.
Toxicity
Raw red kidney beans contain relatively high amounts of phytohemagglutinin and thus are more toxic than most other bean varieties if not soaked and then boiled for at least 10 minutes. The US Food and Drug Administration recommends boiling for 30 minutes to ensure they reach a sufficient temperature long enough to completely destroy the toxin.
Cooking at the lower temperature of , such as in a
slow cooker, is insufficient to denature the toxin and has been reported to cause food poisoning.
As few as five raw beans or a single undercooked kidney bean (as cooking them at insufficient temperatures increases the level of toxic compounds) can cause severe nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pains. Canned red kidney beans, though, are safe to eat straight from the can, as they are cooked prior to being shipped.
