Luffa (Chinese Okra/ Singua) with Fresh Mushrooms 香菇炒丝瓜丝
These baby shiitake mushrooms are lighter-tasting (less earthy flavors) compared to their larger-size shiitake counterparts. They did not overpower the natural subtle sweet flavor of luffa (also known as Singua or Chinese Okra) when cooked. The other good mushroom alternative that may pair well with luffa, are beech mushrooms, that in my opinion, are also lighter in their earthy flavors when cooked.
On the day I cooked this dish, the other one was asking the reason
why I like to cook luffa. Well, I have cooked many other vegetables many times but never asked this question. So I thought: he was complaining about the dish; he did not like luffa.
However, I became clear-headed as I sort out my thoughts and reasons.
I do not have a special inclination towards luffa though I must admit I have cooked luffa in several different ways - steamed, in stir-fries, soups, salads. Yes it is a nutritious and healthy ingredient to cook with but so are the other vegetables and squash. I use luffa more often in summer because these are the few months that luffa is at their prime, or more
accurately - very fresh and tender. Other times, luffa tend to be fibrous, so I don't even buy them. Luffa is not easily found in the grocery stores.
This Asian squash is usually only available in the Chinese grocery stores/supermarkets and in the context of this round-type of luffa, only available in the summer's farmer market. That is why I make use of their limited availability, and cook it as often as I can.
