Long bean

பயத்தங்காய் haricot long |

Tamil name | Payathankai பயத்தங்காய்

Botanical name | Vigna unguiculata sesquipedalis

Other names | Yard-long bean, Asparagus bean, Chinese long bean, Long-podded cowpea

We can find these beans in Auroville but are often hard to find outside our community. This beans variety originates from Southeast Asia, where it is widely used and favoured as an ingredient in various dishes. AV farmers consider these beans very valuable because they bring nitrogen to the soil and are therefore an essential part of any crop rotation and soil maintenance system.

Season

The best season for long beans:

They thrive almost all year round with Auroville’s weather, but they don’t do very well in the extreme heat during May-Jun and the monsoon months of Oct-Nov-Dec.

Grow & Harvest

How to grow in your garden or balcony:

Soil and sun:

Yard-long beans prefer well-draining soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH (around 6.0 to 7.0). They thrive in full sunlight, so choose a location that receives at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight.

Planting:

Plant seeds directly in the soil or start them in seed trays and transplant when they are about 4-6 in (10-15 cm) tall. Space the seeds or seedlings about 10-15 in (30-40 cm) apart.

Watering:

Keep the soil consistently moist, but avoid waterlogging. Water the plants at the base to prevent diseases. For micro irrigation, choose drips over sprinklers. Sprinklers can wet the flowers reducing efficiency of pollination and making the flowers heavy and eventually causing them to fall.

Support:

Long beans are climbing plants, so provide a trellis or stake for support. Make sure the support is sturdy enough to handle the vines as they grow.

In a container:

Use a large container with good drainage if growing in a balcony. Place the container in a sunny location and provide support.

Harvest:

They are usually ready for harvest after 60-90 days. Check your plants daily, as the beans grow and mature rapidly, and they might not be easy to spot between the leaves. Use scissors or pruning shears to avoid damaging the plant and young flowers.

Seeds:

To keep seeds, choose a plant or two and mark them at the flowering stage. Do not harvest from this plant at all and let the beans mature. Harvest when they eventually turn wrinkly and yellow. Remove the seeds and dry them in shade. Store them in a cool and dry place for next planting. Do not leave overripe beans for seeds on plants that you would like to harvest from. Once a plant is producing seeds, it doesn’t produce new beans and the flavour and quality is not the same.

Store & Preserve

Best ways to store and preserve:

Refrigeration:

Store freshly harvested yard-long beans in the refrigerator for up to a week. Best is to use a sealed plastic bag or container to keep the moisture.

Freezing:

To freeze, blanch the beans for 2-3 minutes, then plunge them into ice water before freezing in airtight containers.

Pickling:

To pickle them, stir together vinegar, salt, garlic and your preferred spices/ herbs in a sauce pan and bring them to a boil over high heat. Sterilize some glass jars and stack vertically the cut-long beans in the glass jars. Ladle the brine into the jar up to the brim. Let it ferment at room temperature for one week before storing them in the refrigerator for future consumption.

Prepare & Eat

How to prepare and eat the beans?

Taste and Texture:

They have a mild, slightly sweet taste. The texture is crisp when raw and tender when cooked.

Stir-fries and curries:

These beans can be used in various dishes, such as stir-fries, curries, and salads. You can easily replace the french beans with long beans in your recipe.

Trim the ends and cut them into desired lengths before cooking.

Raw:

They can be eaten raw in salads or as a crunchy snack.

Smoothies and Juices:

While not commonly used in smoothies or juices, yard-long beans can add a unique flavour and nutrition when blended with other vegetables and fruits.

Health

Nutritional Values and Ayurvedic properties

Yard-long beans are rich in fiber, vitamins A and C, and various minerals. They are comparatively high in protein compared to other vegetables and hence can be recommended for vegans.

In Ayurveda, they are astringent in taste, has a cooling ‘virya’/ energy and are balancing to all doshas. They help build muscle tissue and can help in controlling your appetite as it digests slowly. To ease digestion, it is recommended that they are cooked with warming spices like cumin, ginger and pepper.