The 'Buddha's hands' squash (pictured) is also known as chayote. It's available now in most wet markets. You need to peel the tough skin before using the squash. The vegetable can have an irritating effect on the skin, so rinse it under cool water as you're peeling it, and rinse it (and your hands) after slicing it. Halve the peeled squash and remove the small seed. Chayote is great in soups, stir-fries or steamed dishes. My favourite way of cooking it is to toss the sliced, peeled vegetable lightly in salt and put in a heat-proof dish. Steam until almost cooked, then push the vegetables to the periphery of the dish. In the centre, arrange sliced pork, marinated in soy sauce, rice wine, ground white pepper, a little salt and cornstarch. Continue steaming until pork is cooked and vegetable is tender, then drizzle with sesame oil.
Angled luffa looks like giant okra because of the sharp angles running along is length; some people call it Chinese okra. It's about 60 cm long but supermarkets cut it into shorter pieces. Peel the skin before using, then dice or cut in chunks before using. It makes a delicious vegetarian stir-fry - cook with onions, baby corn, cloud ear mushrooms, red peppers and seasonings, or make a quick soup with some sliced pork (marinate as in recipe above) and ginger. My mother's way of cooking this vegetable is simple: peel, then halve lengthwise and cut on the diagonal into sections. Arrange in one layer, seed-side up, in a dish. Sprinkle with salt, steam until tender, drizzle with sesame oil and serve as a side dish.