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| Lathyrus clymenum | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Fabaceae |
| Subfamily: | Faboideae |
| Genus: | Lathyrus |
| Species: | L. clymenum |
| Binomial name | |
| Lathyrus clymenum | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Lathyrus clymenum, also calledSpanish vetchling,[2] is a flowering plant in the familyFabaceae, native to the Mediterranean. The seeds are used to prepare aGreek dish calledfava santorinis. The plant is cultivated on the island ofSantorini inGreece and was recently added to theEuropean Union's products with aProtected Designation of Origin.
For 3,500 years residents of Santorini and neighbouring islands have been cultivating thelegume speciesLathyrus clymenum, known elsewhere only as a wild plant.[3] The peculiarecosystem that was created by thevolcanic explosions onSantorini island, thevolcanic ash, the cellular soil, and the combination ofhumidity created by the sea and the drought, make the bean a unique resource. When weather conditions are good, farmers on the island can reap about 800 kilograms of beans per hectare. A vulnerable crop, it can be destroyed by strong winds that blow away its flowers before they can yield the pea, bydrought or by a suddenheat wave almost instantly. Its production is thus limited, making it an expensive crop that costs €700 per acre. The cost for consumers is about €9–10 per kilogram.[citation needed]
The cooked fava are mixed with chopped onion into a purée, typically served with chopped onion,olive oil and lemon juice.
The seeds of Lathyrus clymenum, from which fava Santorinis is made, has a very high protein content (25%) and is an excellent source of dietary fibre (26%). It is very low in fat, as most of its carbohydrates derive from complex carbohydrates and protein.
Although it looks like the Indiantoor dal orchana dal, it is a completely different species with much higher nutritional value.
There is historical evidence that pulses and wild lentils in particular started being cultivated in Greece in 6,000 BCE. Lathyrus clymenum has been found in jars in the ruins ofAkrotiri, Santorini, which date from approximately 1600 BCE.[4] The Greek microclimate has been ideal for the evolution of such crops and the Greeks have mastered cooking them and benefited from their high nutritional value throughout history.
Media related toLathyrus clymenum at Wikimedia Commons
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