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| Mesquite beans ripen in the late summer and are an excellent carbohydrate source. They require minimal cooking, but preparing the beans is a time consuming process. The beans must be gathered before animals can devour them and then allowed to thoroughly dry. Dried, they must first be torn by hand into small pieces and then pounded until the tough seeds can be removed. The seedless pod fragments are then pulverized into a fine powder that can be stored or used in a variety of ways. Photo by Phil Dering. |