Legumes

Legume are rich of protein and oil, such as soybeans. The legume family owes its protein richness to symbiotic relationship with root-nodule bacteria witch fix free nitrogen from the air. Pulses or grain legumes are those legume seeds eaten after ripening. Preparation include soaking before cooking, or sprouting. Pulses can be stored dry for long time if protected against brunched betties and weevils.

 The soybeen is the most important oil supplying crop in the world, but in Asia a large variety of fresh, fermented and dried food product are made from it. The other major oilseed is groundnut or peanut. Together they provide salad oil, cooking oil, margarine and shortening (oil palm and coconut are also important in this capacity in the wet tropics). The protein-rich cake remaining after extraction in valuable as cattle feed.

For more detail see on Edible Legumes