Luffa（丝瓜）

The luffa, loofah, or lufah (from Arabic لوف) are tropical and subtropical vines comprising the genus Luffa. The fruit of at least two species, Luffa acutangula and Luffa aegyptiaca (Luffa cylindrica), is grown to be harvested before maturity and eaten as a vegetable, popular in Asia and Africa.

The Luffa acutangula is commonly known as ridged gourd and is called Tauri 'توری' in Urdu, "bhol" in Assamese, 丝瓜 （si1gua1） in Mandarin Chinese, Turai or Tori (तोरी) in Hindi, parteek (कारी) in Nepali, Jhinga in Bengali, Janhi(ଜନ୍ହି) in Oriya, gisoda or turiya in Gujarati, Beera kaya (బీర కాయ) in Telugu, Heeray kayi in Kannada, peechinga (പീച്ചിങ്ങ) in Malayalam, Dodaka (दोडका) or Ghosavala (घोसावळं) in Marathi, Ghosale in Konkani, Peerkankaai (பீர்கங்காய்) in Tamil, Wetakolu in Sinhala, Mướp in Vietnamese language, Patola in Tagalog, Kabatiti in Ilocano, Susemi (수세미) in Korean, Hechima (ヘチマ) in Japanese, and Pitulo in Padang or Minangkabau, Gambas or Oyong in Indonesian language or Koinkon in Yoruba language.

Luffa species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Hypercompe albicornis.

When young, luffa are used in soups or stews or cooked like summer squash. Luffa are more commonly known, however, for the use of their fiber network. When separated from the rest of the squash, the fiber network can be dried and then used as an exfoliating sponge. Luffa fiber also makes excellent packing material, filters, and crafts.

The fruit section of L. aegyptiaca may be allowed to mature and used as a bath or kitchen sponge after being processed to remove everything but the network of xylem. Marketed as luffa or loofah, the sponge is used like a body scrub. This version is called lifah in Arabic, bholor jaal in Assamese, dhundul in Bengali, ghiya tori or nerua in Hindi. Softly-textured luffa sponges are not derived from the luffa fruit, but are manufactured by folding in several layers of soft mesh-like fabric into a cloud-like shape; commonly used in tandem with shower soaps.

Its juice is used as a natural remedy for jaundice. The juice is obtained by pounding the bitter luffa and squeezing it through a cloth. Bitter luffa seeds and dry crusts are also available and can be used for the same purpose.

In China and the Philippines, the Luffa or Patola is eaten as a green vegetable in various dishes.

In Paraguay panels are made out of luffa combined with other vegetable matter and recycled plastic. These can be used to create furniture and construct houses.

Laura's recipes with black fungus:

Baked Vegetable with Bacon

Stir Fried White Mushroom with Luffa

Stir Fried Luffa with Bacon