Yard long beans also known as long beans bodi beans, asparagus beans, or Chinese long beans, are a delicious and nutritious vegetable that can be prepared in many different ways. With their crisp texture and robust, earthy flavor, yard long beans make a tasty addition to stir fries, curries, soups, salads, and more.
In this comprehensive guide we’ll cover everything you need to know about cooking yard long beans, from how to select and store them to simple cooking methods, flavor combinations, and even some creative recipe ideas to try at home. With just a little know-how in the kitchen, you’ll be able to enjoy yard long beans to their fullest potential. So read on to become a pro at preparing this unique and versatile veggie!
Selecting and Storing Yard Long Beans
When shopping for yard long beans, look for pods that are firm, crisp, and bright green in color. Avoid any beans that are limp, shriveled, or have brown spots, as these are signs they may be past their prime. Yard long beans can grow over a foot long, but pods around 8 to 12 inches are ideal both for manageability and tenderness.
Store unwashed yard long beans in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. To extend their shelf life, blanch the whole beans by boiling for 2 to 3 minutes, then rinsing under cold water before refrigerating in an airtight container. Blanching helps remove some of the natural acids that cause the beans to deteriorate faster. Properly stored, blanched beans will keep for up to a week.
Prepping and Cutting Yard Long Beans
Before cooking yard long beans, rinse them under cold running water and pat dry. Trim off both pointy ends, then slice the beans on an angle into 1 to 2 inch pieces so they cook more quickly and evenly. Another option is to halve or quarter the beans lengthwise for a different look.
If the beans are especially long or mature, you may want to remove any tough strings. Simply pinch one end of the bean and peel away the fibrous threads. Be sure to do this after cutting the beans to length, as it’s easier when they are in shorter pieces.
Once prepped, the beans are ready to cook using your method of choice. Read on for directions on blanching, steaming, sautéing, stir frying, and more.
Cooking Methods for Yard Long Beans
Blanching
As mentioned above, blanching is a great way to partially cook yard long beans while also preserving their crisp-tender texture. To blanch:
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add prepped beans and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
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Drain beans into a colander and immediately rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking process.
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Use blanched beans right away or refrigerate in an airtight container for later use. They work nicely in salads, stir fries, and other dishes with short cooking times.
Steaming
Steaming is a quick, easy, and healthy way to cook yard long beans while retaining nutrients. Follow these steps:
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Place a steamer basket or insert in a saucepan with 1-2 inches of water. Bring to a boil.
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Add prepped beans to the basket, cover, and steam for 5 to 7 minutes until crisp-tender.
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For flavor, season the boiling water with garlic, ginger, lemon juice, or other aromatics.
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Drizzle steamed beans with olive oil or sesame oil before serving.
Sautéing and Stir-Frying
The high heat of sautéing or stir-frying helps bring out the rich, nutty flavor of yard long beans. To sauté:
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Heat 1-2 Tbsp oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
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Add prepped beans and sauté 5 to 7 minutes until lightly browned but still crisp.
For stir-frying, use a wok or non-stick skillet and prepare your protein and aromatics first before adding the beans. Stir fry 2 to 3 minutes just until heated through.
Roasting
Roasting concentrates the flavor of yard long beans and gives them a delicious caramelized exterior. To roast:
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Toss prepped beans with 1-2 Tbsp oil on a baking sheet. Spread into a single layer.
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Roast at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway through. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Braising and Simmering
Slow braised or simmered in flavorful liquid, yard long beans become meltingly tender. Braise or simmer beans for 10 to 15 minutes until desired tenderness is reached. Partially cover the pan to allow some evaporation.
Grilling
The high dry heat of the grill gives yard long beans a slightly smoky char. Toss prepped beans with oil and grill over direct medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping once. Sprinkle with salt and acid like lemon juice just before serving.
As you can see, yard long beans adapt well to almost any cooking method. Now let’s look at some tasty flavor combinations.
Best Flavor Combinations for Yard Long Beans
One of the joys of cooking yard long beans is experimenting with global flavors. Here are some of my favorite spices, herbs, sauces, and ingredients to pair with them:
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Coconut milk, red curry paste, basil – Thai flavors
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Sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, garlic – Asian flavors
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Lemongrass, lime juice, cilantro, chili peppers – Southeast Asian flavors
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Olive oil, basil, oregano, tomato sauce – Mediterranean flavors
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Cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala – Indian flavors
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Bacon, onion, garlic, mustard – Hearty American flavors
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Butter, garlic, parsley – Simple French flavors
Don’t be afraid to add yard long beans to your favorite ethnic dishes like stir fries, curries, tacos, grain bowls and more. Their texture and taste livens up meals from around the world.
Yard Long Bean Recipes to Try at Home
Looking for some kitchen inspiration? Here are a few easy yet tasty yard long bean recipe ideas to try:
Yard Long Bean Salad with Peanuts and Basil
Toss raw blanched beans with peanut sauce, fish sauce, basil, and toasted peanuts. Serve over baby greens.
Coconut Curried Yard Long Beans
Sauté beans in coconut oil with curry powder, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Simmer in coconut milk.
Sesame Soy Yard Long Beans
Stir fry with sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. Finish with toasted sesame seeds.
Yard Long Bean Fajitas
Sauté beans with bell peppers and onions. Wrap in tortillas with avocado and cilantro.
Pasta with Yard Long Beans and Sun Dried Tomatoes
Sauté beans and sun dried tomatoes in olive oil with garlic and red pepper flakes. Toss with penne pasta.
Southern Style Green Beans with Bacon
Sauté chopped bacon first, then yard long beans. Season with pepper vinegar for tangy flavor.
Grilled Yard Long Beans with Lemon and Parmesan
Toss grilled beans with olive oil, lemon zest, salt and shaved Parmesan cheese.
With so many options for preparation, yard long beans can be part of breakfast, lunch, dinner and everything between. Incorporate them into your cooking routine for a health boost of vitamins, fiber and antioxidants. For even more ideas and inspiration, look for Asian or Vietnamese cookbooks featuring yard long beans. With the techniques in this guide as your foundation, you’ll be able to whip up yard long bean dishes with global flair in no time. Happy cooking!
Spicy Thai Purple Podded Yard Long Beans Recipe
Cooking Thai Purple Podded Yard Long Beans
- 2 lbs fresh, washed Thai Purple Podded Yard Long Beans
- Two tablespoons olive oil
- One tablespoon of dried red pepper flakes (less or more depending on how spicy you like it)
- One teaspoon granulated garlic
- Sea salt to taste
- Clean Thai Purple Podded Yard Long Beans and cut off the stems.
- Thai Purple Podded Yard Long Beans should be cut into 3″ to 4″ pieces.
- Set your pan on medium to high heat on the stove. Toss in the olive oil and heat until it’s hot.
- Hot olive oil should have dried pepper flakes, garlic powder, and sea salt added to it. Let it sit for one minute. (Put on the stove fan to help keep the pepper smell inside)
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook the Thai Purple Podded Yard Long Beans for 5 to 10 minutes, or until they are as soft as you like them.
- Serve hot with rice, chicken, seafood, etc. Perfect for meal prep efforts.
My hubby accelerated his urban farming knowledge by following Epic Gardening.
Cooking with Yard Long Beans
FAQ
How to eat yardlong beans?
How long to boil yard long beans?
Are yard long beans good to eat?
How to cook yard long red beans?
How long do you cook yard long beans?
Yard-long bean flavor intensifies with cooking. Stir-fry yard-long beans until just tender and crunchy. Steam yard-long beans until just tender about 3 to 7 minutes. Braise yard-long beans for 20 minutes with other vegetables and meats, best in a garlicky or oniony braising liquid. Dark green long beans are best suited for braising.
What is the best way to eat beans?
The best way to eat beans is to first cook them in a large pot of water, about 4 cups of water to every 1 cup of beans. Adding lemon grass or other herbs to the water can improve the flavor. Once beans are cooked the best thing to do is combine them with cooked rice, this is because beans are low in methionine and rice is low in lysine, so combining them makes a more complete protein.
How to make Chinese yard long beans?
There are basically 5 steps to this Chinese yard long bean recipe: Heat the wok or pan up to high heat and cook the ground pork until slightly browned. Feel free to use whatever protein you prefer here! Toss in the yard long beans for 1-2 minutes. Add in some optional Kaffir lime leaf shreds for some added citrus flavor.
What is a yard long bean?
Yard-long beans are warm-season plants harvested from mid to late summer. Long beans will be damaged by frost. Yard-long beans are most flavorful thin and about 18 inches long. (Long beans referred to as yard-long beans will never reach a yard long.) Seeds inside a long bean should not be fully developed; avoid beans that are bulging.