Petai Padi

How does Petai Padi look like?

Parkia speciosa (petai, bitter bean, twisted cluster bean, stinker, or stink bean) is a plant of the genus Parkia in the family Fabaceae. Scientifically, there are 12 species, but the most commonly sold are Petai Papan from Malaysia and Thailand.

In recent years, the Petai Padi, the pride of Indonesian Petai, has been introduced to Singaporeans and it has become a preferred choice of many. 
In Indonesia itself, Petai Padi is the most valued over Petai Papan, Petai Jawa, Petai Kedarung, and Petai Belalang.

How to differentiate between the common Petai Papan and prized Petai Padi?
1. Petai Papan is big, hard, and slightly bitter.
2. Petai Padi is much smaller, more round, more crunchy, and a little sweet.
3. Petai Papan is usually sliced during cooking otherwise it would be difficult to chew. 
4. Petai Padi is usually cooked as a whole bean because it is not too hard and easier to chew.