Black beans

We mean the black bean beloved of Caribbean and South American cooks, which is tender, chunky and sweet, sometimes sold in Britain as a black kidney bean.

This, botanically, is just another variation on the theme Phaseolus vulgaris, the indispensable haricot bean. You may find black soya beans in health food stores, either dried or in special salted, fermented preparations: these are completely different in taste and use.