Sator season in Krabi
Posted by admin on August 4th, 2010 filed in UncategorizedLove it or loathe it there is no escaping it this season – sator beans are in abundance in the south of Thailand at present. The long twisted pods of the petai bean (sator in Thai) are dangling from vendor stalls throughout the region.
The bean didn’t receive its off-putting nickname ‘stink bean’ for no reason; there are quite a few unpleasant side effects from consuming sator beans. While the taste isn’t very strong, just mildly bitter, the smell of the bean lingers for days.
Like most beans, sator causes a lot of flatulence due to its complex carbohydrate structure. The gas produced carries the intense smell of the bean, and so does urine.
Despite these unpleasant side effects, sator is a nutritional powerhouse. The bean is packed with protein, iron, vitamin B12, fibre, potassium and is an excellent source of energy.
In Thailand, sator is usually eaten raw with nam prik or stir fried in curry with shrimp. Most Thais can’t get enough of it, but also admit it is an acquired taste!