The Aieichuom
White bean is an oval shaped white bean that grows on a creeping plant. The sowing period is during the month of August and the beans are harvested during November and December. The taste of the bean is sweeter than most other bean varieties. The Aieichuom White beans are sown in deep soil at a distance of two meters from each other. To use them, the beans are soaked in water for a short period of time and are then boiled until softened. The bean is then mixed together in curries and gravies to make a wholesome meal. In the past, farmers would grow Aieichoum White beans across their shifting cultivation (jhum) lands and consumed it as a nutritious source of protein. It has long been associated with the Khiamniungan people found deep in the Tuensang District of Nagaland, particularly the village of Peshu. By the mid-2010s, almost no one in the area was still producing this variety, and those who were did so only for personal use. The Aieichoum White bean is disappearing as the imported hybrid bean varieties have begun to dominate local production, and higher demand for these new varieties on the local market.
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