Patola, otherwise known as Loofah, is an amazing exfoliating sponge once dried. When fresh and cooked to perfection, however, this cylindrical vegetable is a delicious and healthy accompaniment to a lot of recipes.
Depending on how it is prepared, and for how long it is cooked, it could either be crisp or melt in your mouth tender. It could be added in stir-fried, steamed, or in soup. With a wide array of possibilities, it is a versatile ingredient which can enhance the deliciousness of a dish.
Stir-Fry Patola with Chicken
Ingredients
- 350 g. chicken breast, diced
- 1 Tbsp. Maggi Magic Sarap
For Sautéing:
- Oil, for sautéing
- Chicken breast, diced
- 2 pcs. rehydrated shiitake mushroom
- 4 Tbsps. onion, minced
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1/4 cup ginger, julienned
- 3 Tbsps. cooking wine
- 2 pcs. loofah / sponge gourd, sliced
For the Slurry:
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 Tbsps. cornstarch
- 2 Tbsps. Maggi Oyster Sauce
- 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
To Finish:
- 1 Tbsp. Maggi Magic Sarap
- Black Pepper, to taste
- 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
Instructions
- Cut the chicken breast into strips—season with Maggi Magic Sarap. Mix, and let it sit. Set aside.
- Peel the patola, cut it in half, remove the seeds, and cut it diagonally. Dice the dried shiitake mushroom.
- In a bowl, combine water and cornstarch to make a slurry. Add Maggi Oyster Sauce, soy sauce, and sugar.
- Add the patola. Toss it all together, then add the slurry. Season with Maggi Magic Sarap, black pepper, and sesame oil.
With the addition of patola, healthy eating is made easier and more enjoyable. Not only does it absorb the sauce of the dish it is cooked in, but it also has a sweetness of its own. Despite sharing a similar hue with bitter vegetables, the hint of sweetness it hides sets it apart from the others, making it a great start to savoring healthy meals.
For more simple and easy recipes, grab copies of our Simpol Cookbook collection on Shopee or Lazada. Also available in Fully Booked and National Book Store.
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