Vegetable
Luffa aegyptiaca
A tier
Luffa aegyptiaca is the smooth luffa species: young fruit eaten as a sponge gourd, old fruit a bath sponge. In the kitchen this leaf is the smooth young gourd. Pick young and tender. Angled luffa is the ridged species.
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Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
Stir FryYoung
Traits
IdentityNot Bath SpongeNot RidgedPick YoungSmooth SpeciesTenderTropicalYoung Fruit
History
Smooth luffa was grown as Luffa aegyptiaca for food and later for sponges.
Asian markets sold young smooth luffa under the species name or as sponge gourd.