Chinese okra

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Name Variations

 * silk squash
 * silk melon
 * Taiwanese okra
 * angled luffa
 * angled loofa
 * angled loofah

About Chinese okra
Wikipedia Article About Chinese okra on Wikipedia

A long, cylindrical variety of squash, native to Asia, that is generally harvested when it is between 1 to 2 feet in length, but can be grown as long as 8 to 10 feet. It has a dark green outer skin with longitudinal ridges covering a somewhat spongy and fiberous pulp, somewhat similar to a cucumber. If picked when it is young, about 6 to 10 inches in length, then the meat is tender and similar to a zucchini in flavor. When allowed to grow longer in length, the squash becomes bitter tasting and less flavorful. It is a good squash to add to salads or stir-fried foods. Since the meat of this squash is very absorbant, it takes on the flavors of other ingredients as it cooks. As a very small and young squash, it is sliced into round pieces and used as an ingredient for soups, stews and rice dishes. Larger-sized squash are most often served as a vegetable dish or cut into smaller pieces for stir-fried dishes.