The calabash (Lagenaria siceraria, not to be confused with a Calabasa) is a vine-based plant that produces a fruit that resembles either a bottle, utencil, or pipe. For this reason, one of the calabash subspecies is known as the bottle gourd. The fruit has a light green smooth skin and a white flesh.
The calabash was one of the first cultivated plants in the Americas, grown not for food but as a container.
The calabash is frequently used in southern Chinese cuisine as either a stir-fry or in a soup. The Chinese name for calabash is húlú (Chinese:葫蘆) or húzi (葫子).
Calabash noodle soup
Calabash noodle soup (Chinese: 葫蘆麵 or 葫子麵) is a Chinese dish composed of cooked calabash, shredded meat, noodles, and soup. The following is a rough outline for creating the dish.
- Peel the calabash. Then cut the calabash into finger-sized strips.
- Cut the pork tenderloin meat into tiny strips. Marinate the meat with corn starch, soy sauce, and sugar.
- On a wok, stir-fry the meat untill it is slightly brown. Remove the meat from the wok.
- On the wok, stir-fry the calabash strips and garlic for a couple of minutes. Place the meat back into the wok and add soup stock, soy sauce, and water. Simmer for a couple of minutes untill the calabash strips look tender.
- Crack two eggs and pour the white and the yolk into the soup.
- Serve the soup with noodles.
Calabash is also a city in North Carolina.
Calabash - used for flotation, and to store fish in Nigeria; especially during huge Fish Festival.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/africa_fishing_festival/html/1.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/05/africa_fishing_festival/html/7.stm
