Yardlong Bean

The yardlong bean, also called the asparagus bean, snake bean or Chinese long bean, is a subspecies of the cowpea, Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis, a vigorous climbing annual vine grown in warmer parts of South Asia, Southeast Asia and southern China for its edible green pods, which contain immature seeds much like the green bean. Despite the yardlong name, the pods typically measure 35 to 75 centimeters, reflected more accurately in the subspecies name sesquipedalis, meaning a foot and a half long. The tender pods are eaten fresh and cooked, appearing in Chinese, Thai and Filipino stir-fries as well as in Caribbean and South Asian dishes.