The method of peeling old loofah

To peel an old loofah, you can first lightly scrape the skin with a knife, and then thoroughly remove the hard skin with a spoon or peeler. When peeling, attention should be paid to preserving the tender flesh inside to avoid excessive scraping that affects the taste. After the lignification of the skin, the texture of the old luffa is hard, and direct peeling may damage the flesh. Suggest cutting the loofah longitudinally and scraping off the fibrotic tissue along the inner wall arc with a metal spoon. The remaining green thin skin can be treated with a planer. If there are mold spots or black spots on the epidermis, it is necessary to cut off more than two centimeters of the surrounding area to ensure safety. For particularly old luffa, it can be steamed for three minutes to soften the skin before processing. Some varieties of luffa may experience oxidation and blackening after peeling, and can be immediately soaked in light salt water to maintain its color. Although cooking with skin can preserve more dietary fiber, the skin of old loofah may produce a bitter taste. The peeled luffa is suitable for slicing and stewing soup or slicing and stir frying. It is rich in saponins and needs to be fully heated and decomposed. The preserved silk gourd can be dried and used as a natural cleaning tool.

When handling old loofah, gloves should be worn to prevent skin burrs from irritating the skin. After peeling, cook as soon as possible to avoid nutrient loss. It is recommended to choose tender luffa with smooth skin and elastic pressing. Old luffa can be paired with ginger slices or cooking wine to remove the earthy smell. Hang in a ventilated area during daily storage to delay fibrosis. Loofah that has been peeled should be refrigerated and consumed within two days.