A friend gave me what she said was loofah seed, but its not a brown smooth sponge goard, like what i saw at the farmers market. Its a similar running vine and yellow bloom, but the fruit is about 2 feet long with a rounded end, 4 inches in diameter and has ridges the length of the pod, giving it a octogon type shape, not smooth. Looks sorta like a big okra pod. The inside is sort of spongy, but the slices remind me of a green squash. It has a slightly sweet taste. The seeds are white in the eating picked and are black in the dried seed pods and the inside turns stringy when dry . What have I got here? Sorry if this sounds stupid, but I cant find anyone near here who can tell me exactly what this vegetable is.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), October 09, 2002

Answers

I don't know what it is but it sounds like one of the Asian squashes. I'll check some of my odd vegetable books for possible matches. You're brave to taste it, you never know what it could be.:)

-- Kathy (beckoningwinds@yahoo.com), October 10, 2002.

The woman who gave me the seeds has been eating it for 5 years and her aunt did for 30 before she died at 86.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), October 10, 2002.

It sounds like Luffa aegyptiaca (Chinese vine okra) descibed in Burpee's 1888 catalogue, if not, then you might look at the Cucurbita moschata types like a Futtsu or a C. maxima like Blue banana

-- BC (desertdewller@yahoo.com), October 10, 2002.

So it would be a Luffa then? Thats something else I have wondered is it luffa or loofah? Thanks BC.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), October 10, 2002.

Jay, here's three sites with pics of different luffa and other gourds that look like what you're describing. Hope you find out what you raised. :)

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MV071

http://www.evergreenseeds.com/snakgourserg.html

http://www.twincreek.com/gourds/luffa.htm

-- Kathy (beckoningwinds@yahoo.com), October 10, 2002.

Kathy,

Thanks for the links. Its angled luffa. Food and sponges. Wonder if it would work like a diet fiber to help weight loss?

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), October 11, 2002.

Jay if you could find something natural and safe you're on the way to the next BIG infomercial success. I can see it now: ' JAY'S LUFFA WONDER DIET' LOL Forget the worms, easy weight loss diets are where the money is at. :) Glad you found what you were looking for. I wonder what kind of nutrients are in it. Have a great night.

-- Kathy (beckoningwinds@yahoo.com), October 11, 2002.

Stumbled onto your posting while looking online to identify what I had just eaten at an Indian buffet?? :-) I found that it is called "singua" in Indian and Thai dishes and it was delicious curried! Your discussions helped clear the mystery up for me! Thanks!

-- renee in tx (docrenee@hotmail.com), December 27, 2003.