Petai, the "stink bean" or "bitter bean" (Parkia speciosa), is the bright green, flattened seed of a tall Southeast Asian rainforest tree, borne in long, twisted, strap-like pods that hang in clusters from the branches. Shelled from the pod, each waxy seed is crunchy and juicy with a striking, garlicky-green, almost sulphurous pungency that lingers on the breath for a day or more — the reason for the "stink bean" name. Far from off-putting, that aggressive aroma is beloved across Malaysia, Indonesia, southern Thailand and Singapore, where petai is stir-fried with sambal and prawns (sambal petai), tossed raw into salads and fried with eggs and dried anchovies. It is a defining flavour of Malay and Nusantara cooking, prized as much for its bracing bitterness as for the notorious smell it leaves behind.