Angled loofah

The angled loofah, a ridged green gourd eaten young before its fibres set. The ridges are pared away (a little green left on keeps the colour), the flesh cut into wedges and briefly sautéed before boiling water goes in; it cooks silky-soft and faintly sweet in summer quick soups. Hong Kong markets call it sing gwa, 'victory gourd', to dodge the unlucky homophone in its name.

TCM properties

Nature · cooling　Flavour · sweet　Meridians · lung、liver、stomach

Traditional food therapy

In Cantonese food therapy angled loofah is used to clear heat, cool the blood and relieve summer heat — one of the standard cooling gourds of the hot months.

Cautions — read first

• Those with a weak, cold spleen and stomach or loose stools should drink only a little
• Pick young ones: if the seeds rattle when you shake it, it has gone old

Preparation

Scrape the ridges off and peel it (leaving a little green skin keeps it greener), cut into wedge pieces, stir fry briefly, then add boiling water.

Origin

廣東夏造 — Australian retail carries ridge-gourd and smooth loofah lines; locally grown

Availability in Australia

Common at Asian grocers · A$8.15–8.15 / kg
≈$8.15/kg from 600g sponge gourd $4.89; ridge (angled) gourd $4.89/pc, loofah $5.79/pc (sale, was $7.39)

Pairs well with