Out of the Garden Recipe - Asparagus Beans

This is the asparagus bean AKA Chinese long bean AKA yardlong bean AKA bora AKA long-podded cowpea AKA pea bean AKA snake bean.  You’d think with all those AKA’s that it would be on the FBI’s most wanted list.

This pic is from Wiki because I didn't get a pic of ours.  We ate them up too quick.

It is a different genus than the common bean, and is subtropical/tropical and most widely grown in the warmer parts of South Asia, Southeast Asia, and southern China.   And now grown in Texas!  A variety of the cowpea, it is used and cooked very similar to that of the green bean. When the immature pods are picked they are 14” - 30” (35-75 cm) long.

Our friends and we swap veggies out of our gardens. We trade squash and zucchini and onions. But I refuse to swap my tomatoes! I’m normally pretty unselfish…I’ll give you my money, the shirt off my back, my children.  But you can’t have tomatoes out of my garden!   Oh all right.  Of course I will... *digging toe in sand*.  Because someone enjoying them as much as I do always beats out being selfish 

Anyway, a friend gave us these, which were new to us!  The ones we were given by our friend were 18” - 24” (45-61 cm).  They were tied in a bundle just like in the pic (we got one bundle).

Asparagus Beans - My Recipe

Cut into 3” pieces.  In a wok or heavy skillet, saute in a tablespoon of oil with 1/4 cup minced onion, 1 clove minced garlic, 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger.  When almost tender, add 1/2 cup chicken broth; cover and simmer until tender.  Add 1 teaspoon corn starch, stir, sauce should just glaze beans.  Serve with soy sauce to taste.

Hope you enjoy them.  I'd love to hear your recipe!

Until next time!

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#garden #asparagusbeans #recipe