This loofah stir-fry with chicken is a super tasty and satisfying way to cook loofah (luffa?), a Chinese vegetable (ahem, fruit) that doesn’t get enough love!

What is Loofah?

When we were promoting our cookbook last year, a journalist came out to our house (the TWOL HQ) for an interview, and we showed her around our garden. One of the first things we pointed out was our loofah vine, which was bursting with fruits.

Said journalist, Kat Chow, is Chinese American, but couldn’t quite place loofah in her mind. (Read more about her experience in the Bon Appetit article she wrote after the interview!)

Indeed, loofah, also known as luffa, Chinese okra, or sponge gourd, isn’t exactly trending these days, like your average head of cauliflower or bunch of lacinato kale might be. While it’s popular in Asia, it’s relatively unknown in the Western world.

Known as sīguā in Mandarin or see gua in Cantonese (丝瓜), loofah is a summer fruit that grows on a vining plant in the cucurbit family (which also contains cucumbers, squash and gourds).

It grows well in the summer heat, and is therefore enjoyed most often in late summer. If you leave the fruits to dry and wither on the vine, you can also make natural loofah sponges!

There are two main types of loofah—the ridged loofah (long, narrow fruits with deep ridges) and smooth loofah (more plump fruits with smooth skin). We have grown both in our garden, though we prefer the smooth type, which yields more edible fruit and is easier to peel.

Here are photos of the ridged loofah growing in our garden last year:

Ridged Loofah, or Chinese Okra, growing in garden

Ridged Loofah, or Chinese Okra, growing on vine

This year, we opted to grow smooth loofah, which is a bit easier to prepare:

smooth sponge gourd plants growing on vine

How to select good loofah

When you squeeze a loofah if it feels a bit squishy and hollow like they’re’s empty space inside, it’s over ripe and not as good. It can be tougher and more spongy. You’re also not necessarily looking for the largest sized one here as the bigger they are the longer they’ve sat on the vine and the higher the potential for being too ripe.

The loofah should be bright green and firm!

How to Cook Loofah

In Chinese cooking, you’ll see loofah stir-fried either plain, or added to other vegetables and proteins. Stir-frying it with eggs is also common! The other main application for these fruits is in soups.

Loofah does have a very tender, spongy texture, so in my opinion, the key is to not overcook it! They are mostly water, so they can also release quite a bit of liquid after cooking, which is something to keep in mind.

Before cooking, you’ll have to peel the fruits. I like to remove as many of the seeds as possible as well, especially when cooking with larger fruits that have more seeds.

Developing This Recipe

This loofah stir-fry with chicken is hands down my favorite way to cook and eat loofah. The fruits have a mildly sweet, grassy flavor that’s very pleasant, but more delicious when combined with a light protein like chicken.

You don’t need a lot of chicken here. Loofah is the star! I just use 8 ounces of boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast to compliment the vegetable’s delicate texture. This dish is a great example of this philosophy of Chinese cooking, in which the protein is playing the supporting role rather than acting as the main event.

Let’s make it!

Loofah Stir-fry with Chicken: Recipe Instructions

In a small bowl, add the sliced chicken, water, cornstarch, oil, and oyster sauce. Mix until the chicken has absorbed all the marinade ingredients. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes.

sliced chicken thighs with marinade ingredients

Next, prepare the loofah. Peel it, then cut the loofah in half crosswise. Cut the pieces lengthwise, and use a knife to cut out some of the seeds. Finally, slice the loofah on a sharp angle into ½-inch pieces.

Then make the sauce mixture. In a liquid measuring cup or medium bowl, combine the chicken stock (or water), oyster sauce, cornstarch, light soy sauce, sugar, white pepper, and sesame oil.

sauce mixture for loofah stir-fry with chicken

Heat your wok over high heat until it just starts to smoke, and add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the chicken in one layer, and allow it to sear undisturbed for 15-20 seconds. Then stir-fry until the chicken turns opaque. Remove the chicken from the wok and set aside.

To the wok, add the remaining tablespoon of oil, along with the ginger slice and garlic.

Cook for 15 seconds, and then add the Shaoxing wine to deglaze the wok. Then add the loofah, and stir-fry for 20-30 seconds.

Mix your sauce mixture to ensure the cornstarch is fully incorporated. Add it to the wok, and bring to a simmer. As it simmers, you’ll see the sauce thicken into a gravy-like consistency.

Add the chicken back to the wok, and stir-fry for another 30 seconds. The sauce should be coating the vegetables and chicken, and the loofah should be tender but still holding its shape.