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@Thanks for the Crepes, you're welcome.

Valor beans come in a round form also.  They do indeed have a more bumpy and uneven surface than snow peas, with ridged bumps along the edges too (look again at the photos). These also have a very distinct darker green shading at the top edge suffusing downwards for a short distance (see photos). I think they are beautiful. They do also have a more "meaty" bite/texture/body, not exactly "tougher", but, yes, more like pole beans – whereas snow peas tend to be much more "watery" and crunchy. They have a more "vegetal"/green taste than snow peas, with a sort of very vague spicy edge to it. I like them. Generally they *will* need to be de-stringed, topped and tailed, as I mentioned, unless they are very young beans; or unless you like the strings (as roughage, maybe). I wouldn't eat them raw, though – I'd cook them.

Here's what I did with most of them last night.

Topped & tailed, de-stringed, cut into halves lengthwise. The seeds in the older ones are not insubstantial. :-) Soak for a bit. Hot pan, peanut oil, sliced shallots, chopped smashed garlic, curry leaves (Murraya koenigii), ground cumin seed, chopped hot long finger chillies, then the prepped valor beans. Stir around. Salt it. Add some water, cover, cook; stir around (cover off/cover on) till done as desired.

I served it with gussied-up rice. Hot peanut oil, chopped garlic, Basmati rice [Z Reserve], stir around, chicken stock, water, green cardamom pods, dried bay leaves, pine nuts (I couldn't find my shelled pistachios). Cook in the usual manner (stove top) till done.

Close-up.

I had seconds. Burp.

ETA: Another difference between these beans and snow peas – they are forgiving towards longer cooking and retain their "meatiness" although they get progressively softer but without falling apart. Snow peas, for me personally, *have* to be eaten quickly after cooking, and they do not withstand overcooking or being a component in "leftovers" from a dish – they turn to mush and usually acquire a nasty off-putting smell and texture. To me, anyway.

I would use these valor beans instead of the usual beans in, say, something like fagiolini al pomodoro, or fagioli corallo al pomodoro (see here, here, here, here too)...whereas I would NOT use snow peas in these dishes.

@Thanks for the Crepes, you're welcome.

Valor beans come in a round form also.  They do indeed have a more bumpy and uneven surface than snow peas, with ridged bumps along the edges too (look again at the photos). These also have a very distinct darker green shading at the top edge suffusing downwards for a short distance (see photos). I think they are beautiful. They do also have a more "meaty" bite/texture/body, not exactly "tougher", but, yes, more like pole beans – whereas snow peas tend to be much more "watery" and crunchy. They have a more "vegetal"/green taste than snow peas, with a sort of very vague spicy edge to it. I like them. Generally they *will* need to be de-stringed, topped and tailed, as I mentioned, unless they are very young beans; or unless you like the strings (as roughage, maybe). I wouldn't eat them raw, though – I'd cook them.

Here's what I did with most of them last night.

Topped & tailed, de-stringed, cut into halves lengthwise. The seeds in the older ones are not insubstantial. :-) Soak for a bit. Hot pan, peanut oil, sliced shallots, chopped smashed garlic, ground cumin seed, chopped hot finger chillies, then the prepped valor beans. stir around. Salt it. Add some water, cover, cook; stir around (cover off/cover on) till done as desired.

I served it with gussied-up rice. Hot peanut oil, chopped garlic, Basmati rice [Z Reserve], stir around, chicken stock, water, green cardamom pods, dried bay leaves, pine nuts. Cook in the usual manner (stove top) till done.

Close-up.

I had seconds. Burp.

ETA: Another difference between these beans and snow peas – they are forgiving towards longer cooking and retain their "meatiness" although they get progressively softer but without falling apart. Snow peas, for me personally, *have* to be eaten quickly after cooking, and they do not withstand overcooking or being a component in "leftovers" from a dish – they turn to mush and usually acquire a NASTY off-putting smell and texture. For me, anyway. I would use these valor beans instead of the usual beans in, say, something like fagiolini al pomodoro, or fagioli corallo al pomodoro (see here, here, here, here too)...where I would NOT use snow peas.

@Thanks for the Crepes, you're welcome.

Valor beans come in a round form also.  They do indeed have a more bumpy and uneven surface than snow peas, with ridged bumps along the edges too (look again at the photos). These also have a very distinct darker green shading at the top edge suffusing downwards for a short distance (see photos). I think they are beautiful. They do also have a more "meaty" bite/texture/body, not exactly "tougher", but, yes, more like pole beans – whereas snow peas tend to be much more "watery" and crunchy. They have a more "vegetal"/green taste than snow peas, with a sort of very vague spicy edge to it. I like them. Generally they *will* need to be de-stringed, topped and tailed, as I mentioned, unless they are very young beans; or unless you like the strings (as roughage, maybe). I wouldn't eat them raw, though – I'd cook them.

Here's what I did with most of them last night.

Topped & tailed, de-stringed, cut into halves lengthwise. The seeds in the older ones are not insubstantial. :-) Soak for a bit. Hot pan, peanut oil, sliced shallots, chopped smashed garlic, ground cumin seed, chopped hot finger chillies, then the prepped valor beans. stir around. Salt it. Add some water, cover, cook; stir around (cover off/cover on) till done as desired.

I served it with gussied-up rice. Hot peanut oil, chopped garlic, Basmati rice [Z Reserve], stir around, chicken stock, water, green cardamom pods, dried bay leaves, pine nuts. Cook in the usual manner (stove top) till done.

Close-up.

I had seconds. Burp.

@Thanks for the Crepes, you're welcome.

Valor beans come in a round form also.  They do indeed have a more bumpy and uneven surface than snow peas, with ridged bumps along the edges too (look again at the photos). They also have a very distinct darker green shading at the top edge suffusing downwards for a short distance (see photos). I think they are beautiful. They do also have a more "meaty" bite/texture/body, not exactly "tougher", but, yes, more like pole beans – whereas snow peas tend to be much more "watery" and crunchy. They have a more "vegetal"/green taste than snow peas, with a sort of very vague spicy edge to it. I like them. Generally they *will* need to be de-stringed, topped and tailed, as I mentioned, unless they are very young beans; or unless you like the strings (as roughage, maybe). I wouldn't eat them raw, though – I'd cook them.

Here's what I did with most of them last night.

Topped & tailed, de-stringed, cut into halves lengthwise. The seeds in the older ones are not insubstantial. :-) Soak for a bit. Hot pan, peanut oil, sliced shallots, chopped smashed garlic, ground cumin seed, chopped hot finger chillies, then the prepped valor beans. stir around. Salt it. Add some water, cover, cook; stir around (cover off/cover on) till done as desired.

I served it with gussied-up rice. Hot peanut oil, chopped garlic, Basmati rice [Z Reserve], stir around, chicken stock, water, green cardamom pods, dried bay leaves, pine nuts. Cook in the usual manner (stove top) till done.

Close-up.

I had seconds. Burp.