Green beans (Vigna unguiculata), also known as yardlong beans, are a summer-harvested vegetable. They belong to the cultivated variety of the yardlong bean species that produces long pods, an annual climbing herb.Also known as yardlong beans, long beans, or winged beans. Rich in various vitamins and minerals. Young pods have thick, fleshy walls that remain crisp-tender when stir-fried, or can be blanched for cold salads or pickling. Pods are long and tubular, crisp yet tender. Common varieties include white, green, and purple yardlong beans.When selecting green beans, choose those with uniformly thick pods, vibrant color, translucent sheen, and plump seeds. Avoid beans with cracks, wrinkled skin, overly thin pods without seeds, or insect damage on the surface. Green beans are highly nutritious, often called the "meat of vegetables."
【Cooking Methods】【Method One】Potato and Green Bean Stew Ingredients: Pork, green beans, ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, cooking wine, dark soy sauce. Method:
1. Cut pork tenderloin into chunks and blanch. 2. Remove tough strings and ends from beans. Peel potatoes and cut into chunks. Chop scallions into sections and slice ginger. 3.Heat oil in a pot, add scallions, ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, and star anise to sauté until fragrant. Add pork chunks and stir-fry evenly, then splash in cooking wine.
4. Add potatoes and green beans, stir-frying to combine.
5. Season with dark soy sauce and salt for color and flavor. Pour in enough clear broth to cover the ingredients. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low and simmer for about 30 minutes.
【Method Two】
Braised Eggplant with Long Green Beans Ingredients: Eggplant, long green beans, ginger, garlic cloves, dried red chili peppers, salt, sugar, vegetable oil, premium soy sauce. Instructions:
1. Wash long green beans and cut into longer segments. Bring water to a boil in a pot, add a pinch of salt and a few drops of oil. Add beans and cook until water returns to a boil, then remove after about 2 minutes.
2. Cut eggplant into long strips. Slice ginger into thin strips and mince garlic. 3. Heat oil in a wok until very hot. Add eggplant strips and deep-fry for 3-4 minutes.
4. Remove eggplant. Leave a little oil in the wok. Add garlic slices, ginger strips, and chili peppers. Stir-fry until fragrant.
5. Return eggplant and green beans to the wok. Season with salt, sugar, and premium soy sauce, tossing to coat evenly.
6. Add one spoonful of water, cover, and simmer briefly until the sauce thickens and reduces.
Green beans (Vigna unguiculata), also known as yardlong beans, are a summer vegetable. They belong to the cultivated variety of the yardlong bean species that produces long pods, an annual climbing herb. Other names include string beans, long beans, or skirt beans.
【Method Three】Stir-Fried Green Beans with Sausage
Ingredients: Green beans, sausage
Seasonings: Cooking oil, salt, chicken bouillon powder
Method:
1. Wash green beans and cut diagonally into strips.
2. Steam sausage until cooked, then slice diagonally.
3. Blanch green beans in boiling water (add salt to taste as beans are bland).
4. Drain green beans and stir-fry with sausage in hot oil.
5. Stir-fry until beans are cooked through, then season with salt and chicken bouillon powder.
(Note: Undercooked beans can cause poisoning; ensure thorough cooking.)4. Drain beans, then stir-fry with sausage in hot oil. 5. Once beans are cooked through, season with salt and chicken bouillon (undercooked beans may cause poisoning; ensure thorough stir-frying). Properties: Green beans are sweet, bland, and mildly warming, affecting the spleen and stomach meridians. They dispel dampness without causing dryness, strengthen the spleen without causing stagnation, and are commonly used for spleen deficiency with retained dampness.They harmonize internal organs, calm the spirit, boost qi and strengthen the spleen, dispel summer heat and dampness, and promote diuresis to reduce swelling. They primarily treat spleen deficiency with dampness, poor appetite, loose stools, dampness descending to the lower body, and excessive vaginal discharge in women. They can also address summer-heat dampness affecting the middle burner, vomiting, diarrhea, and muscle cramps.Nutrition Traditional Chinese medicine holds that green beans are sweet and neutral in nature, capable of transforming dampness, tonifying the spleen, regulating digestion, fortifying the kidneys to stop diarrhea, and boosting qi to generate fluids. They are particularly suitable for those with weak spleen and stomach. Modern nutritional data indicates their protein content exceeds that of most vegetables, while they are also rich in various vitamins and minerals, earning them the title "meat among vegetables."When the body produces excessive free radicals or clears them too slowly, it accelerates aging and triggers various diseases. Research indicates that green beans possess strong scavenging effects against hydroxyl radicals, likely due to their rich content of carotene, vitamin E, ascorbic acid, and the trace element selenium. Comparative studies show that long beans (such as cowpeas) exhibit stronger hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity than short beans.Suitable for women with excessive vaginal discharge, skin itching, and acute enteritis. Also beneficial for cancer patients, acute gastroenteritis sufferers, and those with poor appetite; not recommended for individuals with abdominal distension. Green beans promote mental calmness, regulate the digestive system, and alleviate chest and diaphragm fullness. They help prevent and treat acute gastroenteritis, vomiting, and diarrhea.Consuming raw or undercooked green beans can cause poisoning due to two harmful substances: hemolysin and toxins. These toxins strongly irritate the gastrointestinal tract, causing mild abdominal discomfort or severe symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea, especially in children.Although these substances in green beans are toxic to humans, they have a distinct characteristic and weakness: they cannot withstand high temperatures. Therefore, whether parents at home or cooks in daycare centers, when preparing green beans for children, it is essential to ensure they are thoroughly cooked through by boiling or heating vigorously for at least 10 minutes. This guarantees the beans are fully cooked, causing the harmful substances to break down into non-toxic compounds.