What green bean means
A green bean is the young, tender pod of the common bean plant, picked before the beans inside have fully developed and eaten whole, pod and all. In Britain green beans are often called French beans, and very fine, slender ones are sold as fine beans or haricots verts. In the US they are also called string beans, a name from older varieties that had a tough string along the seam, though most modern varieties are stringless. Green beans are usually prepared simply by trimming the stalk ends, and often the tails too, then cooking them briefly by boiling, steaming, stir-frying or roasting until they are tender but still have some bite and bright colour.
Overcooking makes them dull and soft. They can also be blanched and refreshed in iced water for salads. Green beans are a classic side dish, served with butter, garlic, almonds or lemon, and they are an essential part of salade niçoise. They are widely used in stir-fries, Thai and Indian curries, Chinese dry-fried beans, casseroles, risottos and pasta dishes.
The American green bean casserole is a traditional festive dish. Yellow wax beans and purple beans are varieties of the same plant. Green beans differ from runner beans, which are flatter and coarser. You will see green beans in recipes for side dishes, salads and curries.