Long beans are a type of green vegetable, available throughout the year.it is 12 - 30 inches long, slender generally pale green to dark green colored, depending on the variety. Although red colored variety may also be seen in the market at times. Each pod consists of small edible peas within, which are light green in color.The crisp, tender pods are eaten both fresh and cooked.
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Long beans are commonly available in all vegetable markets and food malls. They are at their best when young and slender. While buying, check the freshness by trying to break one of the beans in to two halves. The crisper the bean , the higher the freshness. Avoid buying the wilted or dried ones or those having brown spots or holes showing insect infestation.The plants are susceptible to black bean aphids, spider mites, nematodes, and mosaic viruses. Aphids, particularly the black bean aphid are drawn to the pods of this plant. Bean fly is the main pest causing small yellow spots on the leaves.
So check the quality before buying.
Culinary Uses of long beans, fresh chawli, cow pea beans, green beans, yard long beans in Indian Cooking
· You can make a subji out of long beans by cutting them in to small pieces.
· They are used in stir-fries in Chinese cuisine.
· In Malaysian cuisine they are often stir-fried with chillies and shrimp paste (sambal) or used in cooked salads.
· Another popular and healthy option is to chop them into very short cubes and fry them in an omelette.
· Tasty Szechuan Long bean can be prepared by mixing stir fried long beans with soy sauce, cooked red chilli peppers, ginger paste and sugar salt to taste.
· Cashew Curry can be made by adding curry powder in coconut milk and adding deeply toasted cashews and a handful of long beans with tiny cauliflower florets and little bit of tofu.
How to store long beans, fresh chawli, cow pea beans, green beans, yard long beans
Long beans remain fresh for at least 3 days at room temperature. But due to loss of moisture, it starts becoming wilt. Hence store it under refrigeration temperature with relative humidity of 80- 90 %. this will last its freshness for around 5-6 days. The pods can be removed and deep freezed for around 20-25 days as well.
Health benefits of long beans, fresh chawli, cow pea beans, green beans, yard long beans
Long beans is a low calorie vegetable and hence can be consumed by those on
weight loss. It has fair amounts of
Vitamin A and good amounts of
Vitamin C. Being a green vegetable, it is rich in phyto chemicals and antioxidants, thus plays an important role in fighting
cancer and delays aging. Its low sodium content and high
potassium content offers
cardiovascular protection and help manage
high blood pressure and
diabetes. Further the soluble
fibre in it also helps to lower LDL cholesterol in the body. They are also a fair source of
calcium,
folate and
magnesium.
Chopped and blanched long beans
Rinse the long beans in cold water, cut off the ends and chop them to the desired size. Boil some water in a deep pan, add a pinch of salt and plunge the chopped long beans in the boiling water. Let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes and then drain them. To enhance its colour, it can be immersed in cold water for another 5 minutes and then drained again.
Chopped and boiled long beans
Rinse the long beans in cold water, cut off the ends and chop them to the desired size. Boil some water in a deep pan, add a pinch of salt and plunge the chopped long beans in the boiling water. Let them boil for 7 to 8 minutes. Once the beans start turning lighter in color and can be smashed easily on pressing, they can be considered boiled and cooked.
Chopped long beans
Wash the long beans gently. With a knife, cut the two extremes, which are inedible. Place the long beans in bunches horizontally on a chopping board and cut them vertically using a sharp knife. Try to keep it equidistant as possible. Chop it by cutting it into small pieces approximately ¼ inch in diameter, although the chopped food doesn't need to be exactly the same size.