Smooth or Round Loofa

A climbing vegetable from Egypt, Vietnam and China, also spelt Luffa. It makes cylindrical fruit that are picked young and green (under 6 inches) and used fried, curried or boiled ( like a courgette), and has beautiful yellow flowers. Grow up netting in a polytunnel or greenhouse only (it needs a long warm summer).

Delicious eaten small, inedibly fibrous when large, but then can be used as a pot scourer – check your invoice sheet for instructions.