Yardlong Bean (Pod)

Yardlong beans — also called snake beans or long beans — are thin, flexible green pods that can grow up to a metre in length, though they’re usually sold at around 40 to 50 centimetres. They’re a different species from common green beans, more closely related to black-eyed peas, and have a denser, slightly chewier texture with a more robust, nutty flavour.

They’re a staple vegetable across Southeast Asian, Chinese, and South Asian cuisines, most often cut into short lengths and stir-fried with garlic, chilli, and shrimp paste or fermented bean curd. They hold up well to high heat and don’t go mushy the way green beans can.

Yardlong beans are readily available at Asian grocers and increasingly at farmers’ markets and greengrocers across Australia, particularly during the warmer months.