Quote:

It strikes me as passing odd ... that anything designed to be eaten would contain the word/root for "stinky."



I believe the English name for petai (Parkia speciosa) is stinking bean. I find them revolting and the name well deserved, but this page seems to find them something of a panacea http://www.mail-archive.com/permias@listserv.syr.edu/msg13282.html. For pictures and general culinary information see: http://www.asiafood.org/glossary_2.cfm?wordid=3295

Bingley