English: Sponge gourd / Deutsch: Luffa-Gurke / Español: Calabacín de esponja / Português: Abóbora esponja / Français: Grosse citrouille / Italiano: Zucca spugna /
Patola (Luffa cylindrica) one of the edible vegetables found in the Philippines which is a well known ingredient when cooking Misua, a kind of noodles sauteed mostly with Patola and Garlic, Onions, ground pork, or dried shrimps (Hibe). (Please see related article on Luffa).
Patola is known in English as Sponge Gourd, Silk Gourd, Towel Gourd, Chinese Okra, Ridged or Angled Luffa. It is a crawling plant, it grows in vines and it is supported by a trellis when planted. It is used and grown for culinary purposes and for this purpose the fruits must be harvested while they are young and tender.
Below are pictures of Patola vine supported by trellies with Patola fruits with smooth skin. We saw this Patola plantation when we roamed around University of the Philippines in Los Banos, Laguna some years back. My step-daugter was so amused.
There are two kinds of Patola is known in English as Sponge Gourd, Silk Gourd, Towel Gourd, Chinese Okra, Ridged or Angled Luffa. one has smooth skin, the other one has ridges.
In Malayalam, the language of Kerala, a southern state of India, Ridged Gourd is called Peechinga
The vine (plant) is also most commonly grown for the fibrous interior of the fruits, which when dried, can be used as a sponge (Luffa) or as a scrub to remove or scrub off dead skins.
While visiting a big Asian shop in Houston, Texas, I also encountered Patola, it is called Thai Okra and in Vietnamese its name is written as Muop Huong. Below is the picture.
Related Articles to the term 'Patola' | |
| 'Ginisang Upo' | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
| Ginisang Upo refers to sauteed Bottle Gourd in English. Upo is sliced into small cubes and sauteed with . . . Read More | |
| 'Thabuot' | ■■■■■■■■■■ |
| Thabuot is the Burmese word for \"Luffa\", a kind of vegetable used for cooking. While living in Germany, . . . Read More | |
| 'Luffa' | ■■■■■■■■■ |
| : Luffa (Luffa cylindrica) is a1-2 ft long, cylindrical, smooth skinned gourd. The interior contains . . . Read More | |
| 'Ginataang Alimasag' | ■■■■■■■■■ |
| Ginataang Alimasag is one of the dishes from the Philippines made from Blue crab (Alimasag) and assorted . . . Read More | |
| 'Lumpiang Ubod' | ■■■■■■■■■ |
| Lumpia ng Ubod is one of the foods from Philippines. They are fresh spring rolls which are made from . . . Read More | |
| 'Ginarep' | ■■■■■■■■ |
| Ginarep refers to a Filipino food, particularly of the Bicol Region made of sauteed shrimp and grated . . . Read More | |
| 'Pallang' | ■■■■■■■■ |
| Pallang is a Philippine vegetable known in English as winged beans or asparagus beans. Pallang (Psophocarpus . . . Read More | |
| 'Ligo' | ■■■■■■■■ |
| Ligo is the brand name of the most popular canned sardines in the Philippines and you bet they are popular . . . Read More | |
| 'Sayote' | ■■■■■■■■ |
| Sayote is a filipino term for sechium edule, chayote, mirliton pear. Sayote also spelled Chayote is one . . . Read More | |
| 'Relyenong Pusit' | ■■■■■■■■ |
| Relyenong Pusit refers to a traditional Filipino dish that consists of stuffed squid. The squid is cleaned . . . Read More | |