Authentic Thai Recipe Ingredient: Smooth Luffa
Smooth Luffa
บวบหอม (Buap hom)
Buap hom is used in stir-fries, in curries and in Kaeng type soups. Commonly known as Smooth Luffa or Egyptian Luffa, it is cultivated and grown for its fruit. The fruit resembles a cucumber. Young fruit can be eaten as a vegetable while ripe fruits can be used to make bath sponges. They may also be grown as an ornamental plant. It is native to northern Africa, but is now found in many tropical and subtropical areas of the world.