    
Chinese Long Bean
Chinese Long Beans grow on a climbing plant that will grow anywhere from 9 to 12 feet (2.7 to 3.7 metres). It puts out large flowers that are yellow or violet coloured, depending on the variety. Once the flowers have finished and the beans start growing, the beans will be ready to pick in about 9 days.
They are usually harvested immature, when they are anywhere from 12 to 18 inches (30 to 45 cm) long, so that they can be eaten as "fresh" beans, the way green beans and runner beans are.
Long Beans are very closely related to the bean plant that produces black-eyed peas. If left unpicked, the Long Bean pods will grow up to 3 feet (1 metre) and produce inside beans that look very similar to black-eyed peas. For this reason, some people think mistakenly that it is the same plant (it's not: the black-eyed pea bean is Vigna unguiculata ssp. dekindtiana).
There is a "white" variety which is actually light green, a more common variety that is dark green, and a purple variety. The purple ones are similar in taste and texture to the light green ones. Depending on the variety, the seeds inside can be black, white or purplish.
Long Beans have a taste similar to standard Green (string) beans, though if anything the lighter ones are slightly sweeter. The dark green ones have more of a grassy taste. Long Beans are less crisp than green beans, as have they less water in them, but on the upside, there is never any stringy spine that needs removing.
Outside of Asia, Chinese Long Beans are being grown in California, The Dominican Republic and Mexico.
When buying, choose long ones with smooth skins and no swelling of the seeds inside (though in China, they often prefer them that way).
Cooking Tips
Wash, shake dry, top and tail, then chop into small pieces for cooking (or just snap into pieces). Cook as you would green or runner beans, or use in a stir-fry. Don't overcook or they won't just soften, they will go mooshy. Allow around 1/4 pound (110g) per person.
In Asia, they will also steam the leaves and stems.
Substitutes
French fillet beans, Green beans, Runner beans (though these beans will give off more moisture than Long Beans will).
Storage
Long Beans dry out quickly. Store unwashed in a plastic bag and use within a few days or a week max.
History
Native to South Asia.
Language Notes
In Thailand, called "tua paak yao" (also spellt "tua fuk yao" in English).
Also called:  Asparagus Bean
Chinese Pea
Snake Bean
Thai Long Beans
Thai Red Seeded Long Bean
Yard Long Bean Vigna unguiculata ssp. ses-quipedalis (Scientific Name)
Other entries for Beans
Adzuki Beans, Anasazi Beans, Apache Beans, Appaloosa Beans, Aramis Beans, Aunt Emma's Beans, Baccicia Beans, Baked Beans, Bayo Beans (Louisiana), Black Beans, Black Nightfall Beans, Bleu du Lac St-Jean Beans, Broad Beans, Brown Rice Beans, Bush Beans, Canary Beans, Chana Dal, Chickashaw Beans, Chickpeas, Chinese Long Bean, Cow-Itch Beans, Cowpeas, Cranberry Beans, Crochu de Savoie Beans, Dainagon Beans, Dolico Veneto Beans, Dragon Tongue Beans, Dry Beans, European Soldier Beans, Falcon Rice Beans, Flageolet Beans, Flor de Junio Beans, Flor de Mayo Beans, Fortin Family Beans, Fradinho Beans, French Fillet Beans, Garboncito Beans, Garrofo Beans, Good Mother Stallard Beans, Great Northern Beans, Green Beans, Green Flageolet Beans, Green Rice Beans, Hopi Black Pinto Beans, Jackson Wonder Beans, Kahnawake Mohawk Beans, Kunde Beans, Lablab Beans, Lima Beans, Lupini Beans, Madeira Beans, Magpie Beans, Mexican Bayo Beans, Moth Beans, Mung Beans, Navy Beans, Nodak Beans, Pebble Beans, Peruano Beans, Pigeon Peas, Pink Beans, Pinto Beans, Pole Beans, Rattlesnake Beans, Red Ball Beans, Red Kidney Beans, Red Nightfall Beans, Refugee Beans, Rice Beans (Asian), Rice Beans, Rio Zappe Beans, Romano Beans, Runner Beans, Sangre de Toros Beans, Sator Beans, Seluga Beans, Shelling Beans, Soybeans, Tarahumara Canario Beans, Tepary Beans, Tiger's Eye Beans, Tolosana Beans, Toscanelli Beans, Trout Beans, Tweed Wonder Beans, Vallarta Beans, Wax Beans, Wild Goose Beans, Winged Beans, Witkiem Beans, Zolfino Pratomagno Beans
Other entries for Legumes
Lentils, Peas
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