Asian Long Beans

[Smokymist]

First year I've planted them, and they are STILL giving.....we've eaten them , just five make a side dish for me and my son, and I canned some vegetable soup with them last night. Are they the very best tasting bean I've ever had ? No, but I would grow them again. It was a Baker Creek Seed, I'd have to grab the exact name. Did a video of my son reaching the ones I couldn't .

 

[ktrain]

That's pretty amazing, excellent for people with small grow yards/gardens.
Anytime you can get a high yield from small spaces is a plus!

 

[Smokymist]

That's pretty amazing, excellent for people with small grow yards/gardens.
Anytime you can get a high yield from small spaces is a plus!

Yep, until we move I can't plant in the ground, however, I would use these galvanized raised beds and cattle pannels , still, for things like this. I really like them.

 

[9ah-figlet]

My favorite way to eat them is pickled (which helps with toughness). You can buy them already pickled at Asian grocery stores. Here’s a recipe: https://thewoksoflife.com/chinese-pickled-long-beans-pork/

If you want to try pickling them yourself, the basic pickling solution (brine) I use is 1T kosher salt to 2 cups filtered water (for about 1/2 lb veggies).

 

[Smokymist]

I will have to do that !!! Do you cut them to pickle them ?

 

[Smokymist]

I will have to do that !!! Do you cut them to pickle them ?

My favorite way to eat them is pickled (which helps with toughness). You can buy them already pickled at Asian grocery stores. Here’s a recipe: https://thewoksoflife.com/chinese-pickled-long-beans-pork/

If you want to try pickling them yourself, the basic pickling solution (brine) I use is 1T kosher salt to 2 cups filtered water (for about 1/2 lb veggies).

Isnt' there vinegar in that recipe ?

 

[9ah-figlet]

Isnt' there vinegar in that recipe ?

In the pickling recipe? No--it's a basic lactic acid pickle (like the old kosher deli pickles you would get). The natural bacteria makes it acidic rather than adding vinegar. I use it mostly with cabbage, celery, carrots, radishes in a dish called pao-cai. Here's another article on it that shows the long beans: https://blog.themalamarket.com/sichuans-naturally-fermented-pickles-pao-cai/

I understand your concern about the vinegar though--this is not a hot-pack canned recipe that is shelf-stable. You have to eat it before it gets too mushy (or sour), and you need to be careful that you don't contaminate the brine when you retrieve veggies.

Before my sister bought me a fancy fermentation crock, I used a fishbowl. You fold a big cabbage leaf to cover it, and then use a smaller baggie filled with the brine to weigh the cabbage leaf down. Here's a photo of the old set-up.

I will have to do that !!! Do you cut them to pickle them ?

Chinese leave them long and then cut into short segments (like 1/4" or smaller) when preparing the dish.

 

[Smokymist]

In the pickling recipe? No--it's a basic lactic acid pickle (like the old kosher deli pickles you would get). The natural bacteria makes it acidic rather than adding vinegar. I use it mostly with cabbage, celery, carrots, radishes in a dish called pao-cai. Here's another article on it that shows the long beans: https://blog.themalamarket.com/sichuans-naturally-fermented-pickles-pao-cai/

I understand your concern about the vinegar though--this is not a hot-pack canned recipe that is shelf-stable. You have to eat it before it gets too mushy (or sour), and you need to be careful that you don't contaminate the brine when you retrieve veggies.

Before my sister bought me a fancy fermentation crock, I used a fishbowl. You fold a big cabbage leaf to cover it, and then use a smaller baggie filled with the brine to weigh the cabbage leaf down. Here's a photo of the old set-up.
View attachment 12586


Chinese leave them long and then cut into short segments (like 1/4" or smaller) when preparing the dish.

Ok so you're talking fermentation ?

 

[grasshopper]

You can use any clean containers but those sichuan containers look cute. I have done Kimchi and pickled veggies when I have excess or the veggies are in season. The lowest salt I got away with was 2.5% but 5% is already considered low salt. If I remember correctly, nitrite content is high in the first 19 days of fermentation so I usually start eating on the 20th day.

Since I know the long beans are very productive, do well in heat, I try not to start too many or I would end up with too many beans.

 

[9ah-figlet]

Ok so you're talking fermentation ?

Yes, definately fermentation.

I learned this style of pickling from this book Ferment Your Food https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/ferme...d-more_amanda-feifer/9675410/#isbn=1592336825.

She was doing a book tour and the Philadelphia Public Library has a kitchen so we made pickled turnips or beets as part of her talk. This was a while ago (and I doubt I paid more than $10 for her book), but the overall process is the same.

 

[Smokymist]

Yes, definately fermentation.

I learned this style of pickling from this book Ferment Your Food https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/ferme...d-more_amanda-feifer/9675410/#isbn=1592336825.

She was doing a book tour and the Philadelphia Public Library has a kitchen so we made pickled turnips or beets as part of her talk. This was a while ago (and I doubt I paid more than $10 for her book), but the overall process is the same.

I love fermenting, unfortunately I've only been successful at fermenting carrots and kraut. I have all the necessary gadgets too !!

 

[9ah-figlet]

I love fermenting, unfortunately I've only been successful at fermenting carrots and kraut. I have all the necessary gadgets too !!

I had good luck with this recipe. She gave tips on things that may cause fermentation to fail, but you should be good to go now! It is kinda the opposite of hot water bath canning where you're trying to kill all the bacteria. Here you need some bacteria for the process. Good luck!

 

[Kompakfigs]

Have you guys heard of papaya salad? Asian long beans can be prepared the same way.

 

[9ah-figlet]

Have you guys heard of papaya salad? Asian long beans can be prepared the same way.

I had not heard of it, but am very interested. Thanks for sharing. Does this recipe look similar to what you have tried? https://hungryinthailand.com/long-bean-salad/

 

[TorontoJoe]

That's a crazy long bean!

I love pickled beans. This might be a good one to try with.