This website uses cookies, pixels, and other tracking technologies to personalize content, analyze how our site and apps are used, and create aggregated statistics.
We disclose data about site and app users to third parties so we can target our ads to you on other websites, and those third parties may use that data for their own purposes.
For more information on how we collect, use, and disclose this information, please review our
Privacy Policy.
Continued use of this site means you consent to our Privacy Policy.
Chinese okra is an elongated gourd with dark green skin, lined with evenly spaced ridged peaks, that taper at each end. They can be harvested when young, around 15 to 25 centimeters long, but average 30 to 40 centimeters in length and 5 to 7 centimeters wide. Chinese okra is tender; the bright white flesh has spongy texture and offers a silky, subtly sweet flavor when cooked. As it matures, the skin becomes tough and bitter and the flesh becomes fibrous and woody.
Seasons/Availability
Chinese okra is available year-round with a peak season in the summer months.
Current Facts
Chinese okra, also referred to as Angled Luffa, is not related to the small vegetables known as ‘okra’ in the United States. It is botanically classified as Luffa acutangula and is known in Southeast Asia as Sinkwa and Torai in India. The subtropical vine and member of the family Cucurbitaceae is related to squash, melons and cucumbers. There are two varieties of Luffa cultivated for culinary use, the other is a smooth-skinned variety L. aegyptiaca (or L. cylindrica). Chinese okra is prepared and eaten like other summer squash varieties.
Nutritional Value
Chinese okra is an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of dietary fiber, calcium and vitamin A. The ridged gourd also contains iron and protein.
Applications
Chinese okra can be eaten raw when young and around 15 centimeters long and 3 centimeters thick. More mature fruits can be prepared much like zucchini. They are peeled and sliced or cut into bite-sized pieces for stir-fry, battering and deep frying, to add to fish soups, dahls, or curries. Chinese okra will soak up the flavors of whatever liquid it is prepared in. In India the gourd is used in sabzis, or cooked vegetable dishes, simmered in a spice-filled gravy along with peas, cauliflower and tomatoes. Add it to stews or other vegetable dishes. Pair with seafood, spicy chiles, tamarind, soy sauce, cilantro, eggs and potato. Store Chinese okra in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Both Chinese okra or Angled Luffa, and the smooth-skinned variety simply called Luffa, can be used to make sponges. To make Loofah sponges from the Chinese okra, growers leave the gourds on the vine for up to 2 months until they turn yellow or brown. The skin is peeled off to reveal the fibrous flesh which has dried and hardened, the seeds are shaken out and it is cut into pieces and left to further dry into the familiar-looking scrubber. Though, the infamous Loofah sponges sold in stores are more often made from the smooth-skinned variety.
Geography/History
Chinese okra is native to India where wild forms can still be found. They grow best below 500 meters in the humid tropics but will also grow in some sub-tropical areas like southern Florida and Southern California. The warm weather Chinese okra has a long harvest season, lasting up to 13 weeks, and will produce up to 20 fruits per plant. The long, vining plants are trellised allowing the fruits to grow straighter and to make harvesting easier. Un-trellised fruits will be more curved and twisted. Chinese okra may be spotted at Asian markets in the United States and markets throughout India and Southeast Asia and at farmer’s markets in Southern California.
三峽老街市場
237, Taiwan, New Taipei City, Sanxia District, 北85鄉道126號
Chinese okra has a unique appearance with evenly spaced ridged peaks on its dark green skin. When harvested young, between 15 to 25 centimeters, its tender white flesh develops a subtly sweet flavor and silky texture when cooked. If left to mature, its skin grows tough and bitter, while the flesh turns fibrous and woody, altering its culinary appeal significantly.
Chinese okra can be eaten raw when young, typically around 15 centimeters long and 3 centimeters thick, but more mature fruits are often peeled for cooking. It is versatile and can be used in stir-fries, deep-fried dishes, fish soups, dahls, and curries. In India, it is a common ingredient in sabzis. It absorbs the flavors it’s cooked with, pairing well with seafood, tamarind, soy sauce, cilantro, and spicy chiles. Store it refrigerated for up to a week.
The smooth-skinned variety of luffa, known as Luffa aegyptiaca or L. cylindrica, is another type of luffa cultivated for culinary purposes, alongside Chinese okra. Chinese okra, also called Angled Luffa, is known as Sinkwa in Southeast Asia and Torai in India. The plant thrives as a subtropical vine and is part of the Cucurbitaceae family, which includes relatives like squash, melons, and cucumbers.
Chinese okra grows best in humid tropical regions, particularly below 500 meters, but it can also thrive in certain subtropical areas like southern Florida and Southern California. The plant has a long harvest season of up to 13 weeks, producing up to 20 fruits per plant. It is typically trellised to encourage straighter fruit growth and facilitate easier harvesting, while un-trellised fruits may develop a more curved shape.
Loofah sponges can be crafted from both smooth-skinned Luffa and Chinese okra, also known as Angled Luffa. When Chinese okra is used, the gourds are left on the vine for around two months until they turn yellow or brown. After peeling the skin, seeds are shaken out, and the fibrous flesh is dried and cut into pieces. The smooth-skinned Luffa is generally more common for creating the sponges sold in stores.
Fresno Evergreen
Chinese okra is a versatile vegetable with a tender, subtly sweet flavor when cooked. Its elongated gourd features dark green skin with evenly spaced ridged peaks, tapering at both ends. Young Chinese okra is typically 15 to 25 centimeters long, though it often averages 30 to 40 centimeters in length and 5 to 7 centimeters wide. Mature specimens develop tough, bitter skin and fibrous, woody flesh.
The Fresh Market
The Fresh Market - Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Rd - Ras Al Khor Industrial Area - Ras Al Khor Industrial Area 3 - Dubai - ОАЭ
Chinese okra, also known as turai, can be enjoyed both raw and cooked depending on its maturity. When young, it is about 15 cm long and 3 cm thick and can be eaten raw. As it matures, it is often peeled, sliced, and used in stir-fries, soups, and curries. In Indian cuisine, it is commonly prepared in spice-filled gravies with vegetables like peas, cauliflower, and tomatoes. It pairs well with seafood, tamarind, spicy chiles, and cilantro. Store it in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Chinese okra, also known as Angled Luffa, is botanically classified as Luffa acutangula and differs from the small U.S. okra pods. It belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family, making it a relative of squash, melons, and cucumbers. In Southeast Asia, it is referred to as Sinkwa, while in India, it is called Torai. Prepared like summer squash, it is rich in vitamin C, dietary fiber, calcium, and vitamin A, while also providing iron and protein.
Chinese okra, native to India, thrives in humid tropics below 500 meters but can also grow in subtropical regions like southern Florida and Southern California. Each vining plant may produce up to 20 fruits over a 13-week harvest season. Trellising helps the fruits grow straighter and simplifies harvesting, while un-trellised fruits tend to curve. You can find Chinese okra in Asian markets, markets in India and Southeast Asia, and farmer’s markets in Southern California.
Loofah sponges are naturally derived and can be made from the fibrous, dried flesh of the smooth-skinned Luffa or the ridged Chinese okra, Angled Luffa. For the process, the gourds are left on the vine to mature for about two months until yellow or brown. After peeling and shaking out the seeds, the inner fibrous structure is dried and cut into pieces, resulting in the versatile scrubbing sponges often found in stores.
is easiest, three is harder.
