Long beans have many names - yardlong beans, bora, string beans, long-podded cowpea, snake beans, asparagus beans, Chinese long beans and pea beans. They have a sweet flavour and crunchy texture and are similar to green beans, only slightly lighter green in colour.
Commonly used in Asian cuisine as stir-fries or curries, long beans may be eaten both fresh and cooked. In Indian cuisine it is popularly consumed with shrimp and potato along with rotis or chapattis. You can also incorporate them into salads and omelettes. Sri Lankan style long beans are stir-fried with spices in flavourful coconut oil or cooked as a curry with creamy coconut milk.
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This simple stir-fry is on the spicy side and does not incorporate the usual coconut milk to tone down the spiciness, as done in most Sri Lankan vegetable dishes; but if you have it along with a creamy potato curry, dhal curry or even pumpkin curry and rice, it will definitely balance out the meal perfectly.
Cooking Tips:
> You can adopt the recipe and ingredients to your own taste by increasing or decreasing the green chillies, chilli powder and chilli flakes.
> If you do not like long beans or cannot get your hands on them, substitute with regular french beans, green beans or yellow beans.
> Remember, the same rule applies here like when cooking ladies fingers or okra - it is best undercooked and left with a bit of a bite or crunch.
> When selecting long beans, choose the ones which are stiff and have the seeds tightly held within the skin. Even a nice purple tip at the ends of the beans is a good sign of freshness.
Cleaning the beans:
Cut the corners of each end of the long beans. Then cut into around 2" sized pieces. Place all the cut pieces in a colander and wash well under running water. Drain completely and leave aside till needed.
Ingredients:
200g long beans
1 small onion, sliced
1 sprig of curry leaves
3 small green chillies, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 small tomato, sliced
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp unroasted curry powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp red chilli flakes
Salt to taste
1 tbsp coconut oil
Method:
Place a clay pot or frying pan on medium heat and pour in the coconut oil.
Once the oil is heated for about a minute or so, add the onion, garlic, green chillies and curry leaves.
Add the mustard seeds and stir-fry for a few seconds.
Cook for a couple minutes or until the onions turn soft and translucent.
Toss in the tomato and stir-fry for a minute.
Cook until the tomato becomes soft.
Now add the long beans.
Add the turmeric powder, curry powder, chilli powder, chilli flakes and salt.
Stir-fry for a minute or two until everything is well combined.
Lower the heat, cover and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes.
Open in between and stir so that nothing gets stuck to the bottom of the pot. If the mixture is too dry, which could happen when cooking in a clay pot, add a little bit of water and mix well.
When done, the beans should be tender and crunchy, not over done.
The slow-cooking process of this aromatic dish in a traditional clay pot or chatti gives it a unique and unforgettable taste. It's best served warm with your favourite rice and curry.
Enjoy!
PS: If you make any of my recipes, do tag me on Instagram as @MyFoodyChic and use the #MyFoodyChic hashtag. I really do love seeing your takes on my recipes!
XOXO, Jovanka
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