Kitchen Dictionary: soybean

There are over 1,000 varieties of soybeans, ranging in size from as small as a peas to as large as a cherry. Soybean pods are covered with a fine tawny to gray fruzz and range in color from tan to black. The beans are various combinations of red, yellow, green, brown, and black. Dried soybeans are mature beans that have been shelled and dried. Their flavor is generally quite bland. Unlike other legumes, soybeans are low in carbohydrates and high in protein. Green soybeans are those picked when fully grown, but before completely mature. They are generally left in ther pods, which are a bright green color.

plural: soybeans

Ethnicity: Chinese Ingredient

Season: available year-round

Substitutions: soybeans = fava beans = lima beans = green peas