Tonka beans are black and wrinkled seeds of a legume tree of the Fabaceae family. It has a smooth brown interior with an aroma slightly reminiscent of vanilla, with a touch of clove or cinnamon. It contains coumarin which can poison, has a strong anticoagulant properties, and is banned by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) in the USA. They may be used as a substitute for vanilla in some dishes. It is produced mainly in Venzuala and Nigeria.
