also: しろインゲンまめ · しろインゲンマメ
cannellini bean; white kidney bean; navy bean
Refers to various white bean varieties used in Japanese cooking, often in stews, salads, or as a sweet paste (白あん). The term covers several similar beans; context determines the exact type.
I simmered cannellini beans to make soup.
This salad contains white kidney beans.
General term for kidney beans; 白いんげん豆 specifically refers to the white varieties.
Red kidney beans, often used in sweet dishes; contrasts with the white variety.
Common mixed kanji-kana spelling.
Variant with katakana for インゲン.
Variant with katakana for both インゲン and マメ.
Rare kanji spelling using 隠元 for いんげん.
Full katakana spelling; included for search coverage.
Compound of 白 (しろ, 'white') + いんげん豆 (いんげんまめ, 'kidney bean'). いんげん is said to derive from the Chinese monk Ingen (隠元), who is traditionally credited with introducing the bean to Japan.