Đậu đen (Vigna cylindrica or Vigna unguiculata), literally means black beans in English, also known as catjang, is grown throughout Vietnam for its tasty and nutritious beans, which were named because of their black color.
Đậu đen has long been used to cure several illnesses
Đậu đen (Vigna cylindrica or Vigna unguiculata), literally means black beans in English, also known as catjang, is grown throughout Vietnam for its tasty and nutritious beans, which were named because of their black color. The beans have a low content of saturated fat and cholesterol, but they are a good source of dietary fiber, protein, vitamins B1, B2 and PP, and minerals such as copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc.
In traditional Vietnamese medicine, u en is considered to be sweet and good for the spleen and kidneys. As the catjang looks like a human kidney, intake of it is believed to be good for the eyes, kidneys, heart, hair, blood circulation and urination, relieve pain, rheumatism and inflammation, and detoxify the body.
Remedies
Prepare thick porridge with the catjang; eat the porridge to treat edema, especially in the two legs. Or, simmer black beans with a little licorice; drink the broth during the day to relieve edema.
Cook porridge with black beans, a pig’s heart, a little onion, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar and wine, and other spices; eat the porridge once a day, a few times a week to relieve anxiety and fast heartbeats.
Regular intake of the porridge prepared from the catjang simmered with c mài (Dioscorea persimilis) and a little honey can help regulate the blood sugar and thus prevent the risk of diabetes.
Simmer black beans with two chicken legs and add spices; eat the beans and the chicken legs a few times a week to cure backache, hair loss, forgetfulness, early ejaculation and sleeplessness.
The catjang simmered with gà ác, a small chicken having white feather, black legs and black bone, is a very good dish for postnatal women.
Stew well black beans with water; take the beans out when they are well done and dry them under the sun; add a little salt and stir well; chew the beans and swallow them with a little water, two times a day, to cure hair loss.
Soak the catjang with rice wine and drink this wine every day in your meals to relieve backache.
Roast black beans well and soak the roasted beans with rice wine; drink the wine every day to intensify men’s sexuality. Drinking this wine regularly can also help prevent the risk of strokes.
Crush black beans and add a little water; apply the stuff onto swollen or painful areas to relieve the inflammation and the pain.
Last but not least, chè đậu đen, black bean sweet soup, which can be served hot or cold, with or without coconut milk, is a delicious, refreshing and nutritious dish that is worth trying.
(Source: SGT)
