さやいんげん

A common vegetable in Japanese cooking, eaten as the whole immature pod. The name comes from 莢(さや) (pod) + いんげん (from 隠元(いんげん), the Zen monk Ingen who is said to have brought the bean to Japan in the 17th century). Also written as さや隠元(いんげん) or 莢隠元(さやいんげん).

Common dishes

• さやいんげんの胡麻(ごま)和(あ)え — green beans with sesame dressing
• さやいんげんの天(てん)ぷら — green bean tempura
• さやいんげんの煮物(にもの) — simmered green beans
• さやいんげんの炒(いた)め物(もの) — stir-fried green beans
• さやいんげんの肉(にく)巻(ま)き — meat-wrapped green beans

Cooking tips

• Briefly blanched to retain bright color and crisp texture
• Often used as a colorful garnish alongside 人参(にんじん) (carrot) in 弁当(べんとう)

Similar words

• いんげん豆(まめ) — kidney bean, common bean (the mature dried bean)
• 枝豆(えだまめ) — edamame (immature soybeans, a different plant)
• さやえんどう — snow pea (flatter, different species)