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Come pluck me!
It's as if I had sprinkled some magic dust and uttered some right words, 'Grow! Grow! Grow!' The long beans are doing an amazing show - dangling free and showing off their long slender body. I 'm really happy 'coz a first attempt with the long bean has been giving me loads since 6 weeks ago. Previous planting with bitter gourd, brinjal and chillies have resulted in meagre harvest. The bitter gourd failed miserably. One by one, the sprouting young shapes inevitably turned yellow immaturely and on closer inspection , the black marks showed they were pricked by pesky insects. Now, it's sweet success - the long bean rulz!
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Little 'twigs' emerge
Get hooked on me! Lengthening and growing in size too
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Healthy looking long bean - no aphids want them. I wonder why as other plants are under attack.
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Our harvest - part of a daily supply!
Some have been given away. Others have found their way into a variety of dishes. That's when the recipe books come out and the folks at home get to give their verdict on the new dishes. Thankfully, my live-in helper is just as enthusiastic as I am.
How many ways can the long bean be cooked? Indeed versatility is its name! Think of long bean in fried rice, dhall curries, egg dishes, stir fried with onions and chillies, in mixed vegetables, kerabu, gado-gado. Fresh from the pick, the young tender long bean ( test it -it snaps easily) can be eaten raw or blanched as ulam. Restauranteurs also favour using long bean alongside the brinjal and lady fingers in a certain assam fish curry. We tried a new recipe that calls for tempe besides prawn, vermicelli, taufu and sambal belachan cooked with long bean but it didn't get the nod as tempe ( fermented soya bean ) is somewhat an acquired taste.
The pods of this legume have dried naturally turning dark brown and the seeds inside harden. They await another round of planting. Long may the long bean flourish!
Ready for the second generation
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My beanstalk twining and twining -no, I didn't buy the seeds from a man who was walking his cow to the market!! LOL
Posts
hope i stay close to you, so I can have some of this home grown organic long bean from you, hehehe..
ReplyDeleteI think one whole bean could feed my twelve year old son dinner, amazing! It is good you are saving seeds of this awesome bean.
ReplyDeleteLol, about the reference to Jack & the beanstalk.
Haha, so that's how a long bean plant looks like!
ReplyDeleteWow! That's nice to have long beans grow, grow and GROW! You are right. It is very versatile. You can cook it with anything unlike my chilli padi which is growing abundantly.
ReplyDeleteWe used to grow the same beans back at home.They are only used in pure vegetarian recipes.
ReplyDeleteI like it as what we call "mezhukku". Cut them in to 1 inch pieces.Splutter some mustard seeds in oil, add curry leaves,add split green chillies and sliced onions, sauté, you can also add coconut as thin slices about an inch long, and then finally the beans. Cover and cook under low heat foe few minutes till the beans are soft,remove the lid and then dry in oil.salt to taste.
It is my own recipe!!
Oh wonderful, wonderful! What a joyful and satisfying sight to behold! Now you've made me hungry for long beans in curry, in omelette and in fried rice! Yum! I must start growing some too. My petola failed miserably.
ReplyDeleteHi ya Keats! Wow ...what a bounty! I have yet to grow vege but I'd love to grow these beans as we love them...esp when cut small and cooked with eggs..yummo :)
ReplyDeleteFirst cartoon comic came to mind its 'Jack and the Beanstalk" haha..My old folks back home would on and off we pluck the longbean *dau kok* leaves to cook with porridge. Not bad you can try and add some minced meat too. Yummy.
ReplyDeleteI tried these yard long beans in my garden last year, Sadly the plants didn't manage to get bigger than about a foot tall. I suppose they really are a warm climate plant!
ReplyDeleteI know the nice feeling of getting to harvest your own vegetable! :-)
ReplyDeleteThose beans look good. Healthy options made into a wonderful post!
wow, these are long!
ReplyDeleteGood and healthy - viva long beans! :)
Wow, what a delicious harvest! I used to grow long beans too, but after the renovation at the back of my house, the fence is no longer there. Now my creeper plants got to wait their turn due to lack of space. Long beans is next on my list after my bitter gourd!
ReplyDeleteHello!
ReplyDeleteWonderful post!
Hi Keats!
ReplyDeleteWonderful harvest of beans! Aphids: I dealt with them by spraying solution of dish washing detergent and water! works!
I love long beans -especially in soups
ReplyDeleteLovely! It's time to get Jack up those beans! Who knows what he may find.
ReplyDeleteAha, my friend, you have been busy lately. What a bountiful harvest! I love long beans in omelette, acar and also inside 'chee cheong fun'. Did your long bean grow taller and taller until it reach the sky?
ReplyDeleteGreat effort dear! I can only imagine those crunchy fresh long beans in my omellete ... emmmmmm yummy!!!
ReplyDeleteDear Friend, thank You very much for Your beautiful comments in my blog!
ReplyDeleteYou are beautiful Friend!
ReplyDeleteThese look delicious!
ReplyDeleteBaked beans for dinner?! :)))
ReplyDeleteGood to hear that you have handful of harvest! They look so fresh!
ReplyDeleteWonderful! We call it string beans. Even the tender leaves can be eaten. :)
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