Cookability of African yambean, Sphenostylis stenocrarpa (Hochst ex. A. Rich) Harma

Dry yambean seeds, prior to soaking and during storage treatments, were moist cooked and autoclaved. Seeds, presoaked in water, sodium chloride (brine), as filterate (alkali) and a mixture of brine and alkali (alkalibrine) were also similarly cooked. Water and alkali‐soaked seeds became hydrated faster than those pre‐soaked in brine and alkali‐brine solution. When cooked under constant temperature conditions the untreated yambean took about 190 min to cook on a hot plate and kerosene stove and 65 min by autoclaving. Soaking treatments substantially rendered dry yambean more quick‐cooking, especially when pre‐contacted in brine or alkali‐brine for which cooking time was about a third of that of un‐soaked seeds. Yambean cook‐ability declined by 9% after 3 months in storage under room temperature (29 °C).