How to Cook Up Your Mesquite Beans

Q. I have a young honey mesquite that is having its first beans.  I've heard they are edible.  If they are, are all varieties the same, and how does one serve one up?

Linda

A. The Mesquite pods have been used as a food by peoples and browse by animals forever . . .The beans are actually very small, about half the size of and similar in shape to a lentil . . The beans are not eaten; the pod matrix is the edible part . .

If you take the dried pods and put them in a blender and let 'er rip you will break down the pods and the hard seeds (covered in a papery shroud) will float to the top of the mix . . Remove the seeds to plant or toss and use the rest as a sweet, coarse flour . . I use it a lot in cornbread but it can be used in most bread recipes . . . The North American species have more pod matrix and flavor than the South American species . . The one glaring exception is the one South American species Prosopis nigra or Black Mesquite which has, by far the most delicious and plump pods . . They are rarely found in landscapes but I know where a few are and I can sneak  some pods from time to time . .Shhhhh, don't tell anyone . .

Don't worry if you see pinhead sized holes in the pods, not to worry that is just a little weevil that feeds on the seeds, the part you are not going to eat . .

There are many books and articles about Native American foods in the southwest that talk about Mesquite pods . . . . It might be fun to check out some of those references also . .

.Good luck and let us know how it works out for you and let us know what you made . . 

Terry Mikel