Dried Beans are a wonderful source of nutrition. The ancient Egyptians buried them and the first explorers found many different varieties to bring back to the new world.

Local cafes are using dried beans to make fantastic menu options. Harkola has already seen a huge uptake from cafes and restaurants making delicious Spicy Middle Eastern Bean Burgers using chickpeas and lentils. That not only cater for your humble vegetarian but to your carnivores. If you have not tasted one, you should be putting it on your bucket list as they are they are so darn tasty!

The secret is really down to matching them with an amazing selection of herbs and spices, your customers will love you even more. So why choose a Spicy Bean Burger for your menu. Dried beans keep for an incredibly long time when stored in the correct way and they cost a fraction of the cost of expensive meats and fish, plus they pack the nutrition and fibre into your diet, which is only good for you.

Harkola supplies and distributes a huge range of all types of beans and we’ve been delivering them to local corner shops so you can have better access to a wider varieties of imported products from your local stores. Some of Sydney’s biggest restaurants and chefs source their ingredients from Harkola, who specialise in imported products dried beans & spices from around the world.

Beans are versatile but they also can be used in some very interesting ways that would amaze you. For example, did you know that they can be used in baking cakes - black bean chocolate cake, vanilla bean cupcakes. You may also have noticed them on menus around Australia. Most recently the home styled treat of baked beans.

Baked beans are easy to make. Add pancetta dried Chilli powder, Paprika, and Garlic, chop an onion add some brown sugar to the pan. Add a table spoon of apple cider vinegar add a dash of Worcestershire sauce, and tin of tomato to the mix for the sauce, bring to a simmer and add some beans they all taste great. It’s a fantastic dish and great with a fried egg on top or some potato cakes.

Beans are packed full of protein and good for you. You and your customers will discover one of the oldest foods is still one of the greatest.