What is cowpea? Nutritional value of cowpea

What is cowpea?

Cowpea is also called Chinese bean or black-eyed pea. It is a cultivated form of Vigna unguiculata, an annual plant of the Fabaceae family. It is believed to be native to India and the Middle East, but was cultivated in China very early on. The leaves are compound, with three leaflets. The flowers are white, purple, or pale yellow, usually borne in pairs or triplets at the end of a slender stalk. The pods are long and cylindrical. The pods of Vu catjang are 7.5 to 12.5 centimeters (3 to 5 inches) long. The pods of Vu sinensis are 20 to 30 centimeters long. Cowpea is widely cultivated in the southern United States as a hay crop, green manure crop, or for its pods.

Annual twining herb, glabrous. 3 leaflets, terminal leaflet rhombic ovate, 5-13 cm long, 4-7 cm wide, acute at the apex, nearly rounded or broadly cuneate at the base, glabrous on both sides, lateral leaflets obliquely ovate; stipules ovate, about 1 cm long, extending downward into a short spur at the attachment. Racemes axillary; calyx bell-shaped, glabrous; corolla lavender, about 2 cm long, with pale yellow whiskers on the upper part of the style. Pods linear, drooping, up to 40 cm long. Flowering and fruiting period June-September.

It is widely cultivated throughout the country.

There are many varieties of cowpeas that are eaten as vegetables. According to the different colors of the pods, they are divided into white-skinned cowpeas, green-skinned cowpeas, flower-skinned cowpeas, red-skinned cowpeas, etc., and according to the different reactions of each variety to the length of light, there are varieties that are insensitive to the length of light, such as the red-billed cowpea, and varieties that are sensitive to the length of light, such as the hairy taro cowpeas grown in Shanghai and Yangzhou, and the Beijing cowpeas cultivated in Suzhou and Wuxi. The seeds are used as medicine, which can strengthen the stomach, replenish qi, nourish and aid digestion.

Nutritional value of cowpea:

1. Cowpea provides high-quality protein that is easy to digest and absorb, an appropriate amount of carbohydrates, and a variety of vitamins, trace elements, etc., which can supplement the body's signature nutrients.

2. The B vitamins contained in cowpeas can maintain normal digestive gland secretion and gastrointestinal motility, inhibit cholinesterase activity, help digestion and increase appetite.

3. The vitamin C contained in cowpea can promote the synthesis of antibodies and enhance the body's antiviral effect.

4. The phospholipids in cowpea can promote insulin secretion and participate in sugar metabolism, making it an ideal food for diabetics.

What is the method of cooking cowpea?

Ingredients: Cowpea

Accessories: red pepper, minced pork

Seasoning: salt, cooking wine, chicken essence, soy sauce, broth, water starch, onion, ginger, garlic, cooking oil

practice:

1. Pick the cowpeas, clean them and cut them into inch-long pieces. Remove the seeds and stems of the red peppers, clean them and cut them into dices. Clean the onions, ginger and garlic and cut them into minced pieces.

2. Light a wok and add oil. When the oil is 40% hot, pour in chopped green onion, ginger and garlic and stir-fry. When the aroma comes out, pour in minced pork and cooking wine and stir well. Add cowpea, diced red pepper, light soy sauce, chicken essence, broth, and water starch to thicken and serve.

The above is the introduction of "What is cowpea", I hope it will be helpful to you!