Eggplant / Aubergine

Also known asBrinjal · Baingan · Garden Egg · Solanum melongena · 茄子

Name: Eggplant, also called aubergine, brinjal or baingan (Solanum melongena) — a glossy, deep purple, oblong fruit with a spongy, pale flesh and tiny seeds, used as a vegetable. White, green, striped and small round types exist, and Japanese and Thai eggplants have their own pages.

Description

Eggplant is native to South Asia, probably India, where it has been cultivated for more than 2,000 years, and was spread to China, the Middle East and Africa, then to Europe by the Arabs in the Middle Ages. The name eggplant comes from the small, white, egg-shaped varieties of the 18th century, and aubergine comes from Arabic and Persian through French.

Raw eggplant is bitter and spongy, but when cooked it becomes silky, creamy and rich, and absorbs oil and flavours like a sponge. It is central to Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Indian and East Asian cuisines, in dishes such as moussaka, baba ghanoush, ratatouille, parmigiana and curries.

Main nutrition value

Eggplant is low in calories and provides fibre, manganese, potassium, vitamin K and the antioxidant nasunin in the purple skin.

How best to be consumed

Eggplant must be cooked, and its sponge-like flesh takes care with oil.

1. Roast or grill whole until soft and smoky, then scoop out the flesh for dips such as baba ghanoush.
2. Salt cut slices for 20 to 30 minutes, then rinse and pat dry, to reduce bitterness and oil absorption.
3. Bake, rather than deep-fry, to limit oil.
4. Add to curries, stews, ratatouille, moussaka and stir-fries.
5. Choose firm, shiny, heavy fruit with smooth skin, and store at cool room temperature.

Overconsumption could cause…

Eggplant is safe and healthy in food amounts when cooked.

1. Reactions in a small number of people sensitive to nightshade plants, such as joint or digestive complaints, though evidence is limited.
2. A lot of oil and calories if fried, since eggplant soaks up fat.
3. Digestive upset from eating it raw, since raw eggplant contains solanine and is bitter.
4. Allergic reactions in rare cases, and itchy mouth in people with certain pollen allergies.

GroupsFruit VegetablesNightshade family (Solanaceae)Low fatLow sodiumFresh

Related foodsJapanese EggplantCherry TomatoPoblanoJalapeñoBell Pepper / CapsicumGreen Pepper

Wikipedia — Eggplant, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggplant