What do you think of when I say luffa? The sponge that people use in the shower? Or the vegetable that you eat? Depending on how mature the luffa is, it can either be used in cooking or to make sponges. Thịt bò xào mướp is a common Vietnamese dish that stir fries beef with edible luffa.
What makes a luffa edible?
There are two common species of luffas. The Luffa acutangula and Luffa aegyptiaca. It’s native to Southeast Asia. In order for it to be edible, it needs to be harvested when young (see picture below). As the luffa matures, it gets more fibrous and becomes inedible. However, at maturity, it can be used to make luffa scrubbing sponge, like the one that is used in the shower 😲. Who would have thought, right?
How to use edible luffa & what it tastes like
Edible luffa is a common ingredient in Vietnamese cuisine. We call it mướp. When preparing edible luffa for cooking, peel it first, then wash it. You’ll notice a slimy feel to it, similar to that of an okra. Not to worry, just give it a good wash and it will be ready to cook. The inside is similar to a zucchini. Mướp (edible luffa) is used in stir fry dishes and tastes similar to that of a zucchini. Because it has a mild taste, it’s easy to cook with because it will not compete with any flavors. When it’s raw, the inside of the edible luffa is opaque. However, when it’s cooked, the inside turns transparent.
Besides being easy to cook with, it is also packed with nutrients. Edible luffas are packed with minerals, vitamins, anti-oxidants, carotenes and folate just to name a few. It’s easily found in any Asian grocery store. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find it in any American grocery store. However, if you’re interested in growing your own edible luffa, you can purchase the seeds here. Starting my own garden is on my list of things to do for this summer.
Ingredients needed to make beef with edible luffa
This is a quick and easy stir fry that requires thinly sliced beef, edible luffa, garlic, shallots, oil, salt, pepper, fish sauce, chicken powder and chicken broth. The traditional dish that I grew up with in Vietnam has vermicelli noodles added. However, it can be made without the vermicelli as well. Basically, the beef and edible luffa gets stir fried separately then are combined at the end. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy, as my son would say 😂.
How to serve thịt bò xào mướp (beef & edible luffa)
I will serve the traditional thịt bò xào mướp with a side of Jasmine rice. Check out my post on how to make perfect Jasmine rice here. Even though it has vermicelli and is served with a side of rice, I personally prefer to eat it by itself. To me, when vermicelli is present, it doesn’t need rice. My husband prefers thịt bò xào mướp (beef & edible luffa) without the vermicelli noodles and a side of rice, and… Siracha sauce.
Thịt Bò Xào Mướp (Beef & Edible Luffa)
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds beef chuck thinly sliced.
- 3 medium edible luffas washed, peeled and sliced into ½ inch diagonals.
- 2 tbsp garlic chopped. Divide in half, using ½ for the beef sauté and other ½ for edible luffa sauté.
- 2 shallot chopped. Divide in half, using ½ for the beef sauté and other ½ for edible luffa sauté.
- 1 bundle of vermicelli soaked in warm water for 8 minutes (optional).
- 2 tsp salt use ½ for the meat and ½ for the edible luffa.
- 2 tsp pepper use ½ for the meat and ½ for the edible luffa.
- 2 tsp fish sauce add more or less depending on taste.
- 1 tsp chicken powder
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 for sautéing the beef and the other for sautéing the edible luffa.
Instructions
- Wash the beef chuck by sprinkling a generous amount of salt on it. Gently rub the salt into the meat and rinse the salt off using warm water. Pat the beef chuck dry using paper towels.
- Thinly slice the beef chuck and set it aside.
- Chop the garlic and shallots and set aside.
- Peel the edible luffa first, then rinse it with water.
- Cut the edible luffa into halves first, then slice each half into ½ inch diagonals and set it aside.
- Combine in a bowl, thinly sliced beef chuck, ½ chopped garlic, ½ chopped shallots, ½ salt and ½ pepper. Mix well and let it marinade for 15 minutes.
- Add vegetable oil into a pan and let it heat up. Then add the marinated beef into the pan along with the fish sauce and sauté until meat is cooked.
- Remove the cooked beef from the pan and set aside.
- Place the remaining vegetable oil, chopped garlic and shallot into the same pan and let sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add the edible luffa, remaining salt and pepper and sauté until it's cooked (a.k.a. until it's translucent).
- Add the cooked marinated beef back into the pan with the edible luffa.
- Then add in the chicken powder and stir to combine.
- Add in the soaked vermicelli (optional) and let the mixture cook on low for another 5 minutes before serving over rice or alone.
If you’ve never cooked with edible luffa before, give this recipe a try. It is packed with nutrients, is so easy to make, and tastes delicious.
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This looks delicious 😋.