Angled luffa (sze gwa) looks like okra on steroids - indeed, one of its names is Chinese okra - but the two vegetables aren't actually related. What is it? A long, ridged gourd with watery flesh and ...

Westerners know the loofah as a bathroom accessory, a natural sponge for scrubbing and cleaning. To the Chinese, however, it offers both food and functionality. The loofah grows fast and in spring it ...