Ridge gourd is the fruit of a sub-tropical vine that belongs to the cucumber family and is native to central and eastern Asia, including the Indian subcontinent. The plant is quite hardy and easy to cultivate and is even grown indoors in regions with colder climates. Ridge gourd is popular as a vegetable in various regional cuisines in Asia, but the fruit is only edible before it ripens. As it matures, the fruit becomes increasingly fibrous, which makes it unfit for consumption, but great for use as a loofah or scrubber.

The fruit should be used as a vegetable before it has matured completely, when it is still rather small and green, resembling a cucumber. Depending on where you reside, the fruit goes by many names including ridge gourd, ridged gourd, silk or silky gourd, sponge gourd, Chinese okra, angled luffa and vegetable gourd among others. The vegetable is often used in stir fries and soups in Vietnam and it is also an important feature in various regional cuisines in India, especially in Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.