Yeheb Nut

The yeheb nut is the seed of Cordeauxia edulis, a plant in the family Fabaceae and the sole species in its genus, native to arid and semi-arid parts of the Horn of Africa, particularly Somalia and Ethiopia's Ogaden region. It once covered a much wider range, with the yeheb bush reported in 1929 to cover half the vegetation of large territories in Somalia, though its range has since declined sharply and the species is now classified as endangered. The seeds are eaten dried, boiled, roasted or raw, developing a sweet, chestnut-like flavor when roasted, and are also used to brew a leaf tea or a sweet beverage made from water in which the seeds have been boiled; raw seeds require cooking to break down naturally occurring trypsin inhibitors. Beyond food, the plant also serves as animal feed, firewood and a source of dye.