noun
angled luffa; ridged gourd; Chinese okra
A tropical vine (Luffa acutangula) cultivated for its young fruit, which is used as a vegetable, and for the mature fibrous interior used as a sponge.
トカドヘチマは沖縄料理でよく使われる。
Angled luffa is often used in Okinawan cuisine.
このトカドヘチマの実はまだ若くて食べごろだ。
This angled luffa fruit is still young and ready to eat.
ヘチマ (Luffa aegyptiaca) is the smooth luffa, while トカドヘチマ is the angled or ridged variety with distinct ridges on the fruit.
The name トカドヘチマ literally means 'ten-angled gourd', from 十 (ten), 角 (angle), and 糸瓜 (loofah). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it refers to the prominent ridges on the fruit.