Trichosanthes cucumerina is a tropical or subtropical vine, raised for its strikingly long fruit, used as a vegetable and for medicine. Other names include Snake Gourd (Trichosanthes cucumerina var. anguina), Serpent Gourd, Chichinga and Padwal. It is known as Potlakaaya in Telugu, Pathola in Sinhala, Pudalankaai in Tamil, Paduvalakaayi in Kannada and Padavalanga in Malayalam.

The narrow, soft-skinned fruit can reach 150 cm long. Its soft, bland, somewhat mucilaginous flesh is similar to that of the luffa and the calabash. It is most popular in the cuisine of South Asia and Southeast Asia. The shoots, tendrils, and leaves are also eaten as greens.