How to Cook Chinese Long String Beans

Chinese long string beans are also known as the long-podded cowpea, Chinese longbean, snake bean, asparagus bean and yard-long beans, although they are actually only half that size. Chinese long beans are legumes related to black-eyed peas, and they are native to Southeastern Asia, Thailand and Southern China. The Chinese long string bean has a more intense flavor and denser texture than snap beans, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Choose edible Chinese long string bean pods that are about the diameter of a pencil and 10 to 12 inches long with a smooth skin. They should “snap” when bent, but are not as crisp as snap beans.

How Do I Cook Chinese Long String Beans?

Steam the leaves and stem tips of the Chinese long string bean and serve as you would any other green vegetable. Steaming the bean pods can make them soft.

Cut Chinese long string beans into 1 to 2 inch lengths for cooking. They retain their color and texture in slow-cooked dishes, such as stews. Stir-frying is another cooking method that works well for Chinese long string beans. Cut the beans into 1/2-inch pieces and add to omelets.

Boil and strain Chinese long string beans then add lemon juice and oil, or other seasonings. Alternatively, you may simmer the beans in butter and garlic. Serve them alone or with other vegetables.

Dry mature bean pods and remove the seeds. Cook dried beans, or sprout dried bean seeds by soaking them in water. Eat the bean sprouts raw or use them in stir fries.

Cover 1 to 2-inch cut Chinese long string beans with boiling saltwater. Remove them from the boiling water and drain them. Transfer them to ice-cold water to blanch them. Drain the blanched beans and place them in a freezer bag or container. Add frozen beans to recipes without defrosting them.

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