Silk Squash - Chinese Okra (Luffa acutangula)

A popular vegetable frequently found in markets in China, this is a long, thin, cylindrical squash, tapering at one end with deep, narrow ridges. Choose firm, unblemished dark green ones. Peel away the ridges. If the vegetable is young, you can leave on some of the green; if older, it’s best to peel away all the skin. The inside flesh turns soft, spongy and tender as it cooks, tasting like a cross between a cucumber and courgette. Absorbent, it readily picks up flavours of the sauce or food it is cooked with.