A Roundup Of Eggplant (2024)

updated May 12, 2022

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A Roundup Of Eggplant (1)

Eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables. Well, it’s actually a fruit — did you know that? It’s cooked as a vegetable, like tomatoes. Another thing tomatoes and eggplant have in common: they are members of the nightshade family. They are so versatile; they can be pickled, fried, stewed, stir-fried, braised, baked, stuffed, roasted, and pureed. And they aren’t all purple, either. There are lavender-colored, green, splotchy, and orange eggplants!

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Chinese (Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Eggplant are native to the Indian subcontinent and the Himalayan area, and they have been cultivated in Southeast Asia since prehistoric times. Arabs brought eggplant to the Mediterranean area in the early Middle Ages.

The reason this fruit is called an “eggplant” is because the cultivars in the 18th century were white to pale yellow in color, and resembled hen’s eggs.

Eggplants are bitter when raw, but develop a savory and complex flavor when cooked. The texture of the flesh is meaty and it absorbs sauces and cooking liquids very easily. Eggplants are commonly found in:

Ratatouille, the quintessential Provencal vegetable stew
• Pasta dishes, such as this rigatoni with eggplant recipe
• Spreads and dips such as eggplant caviar and baba ghanoush
• Stir-fry dishes like Chinese Five Spice Eggplant
Eggplant Parmigiana (Food Network)
Moussaka, a traditional Greek eggplant dish (Squidoo)
Imam Bayildi, a Turkish stuffed eggplant dish common in mezes (Clifford Wright)
Baingan Ka Bharta, an Indian roasted eggplant dish (About.com)

The eggplants I found and photographed are:

Chinese eggplant are long and thin, and dark lavender in color. These are great in stir fries, braises, and pickles.

Filipino eggplant are long and thin, and dark green in color with flushes of light purple. These are often braised, stewed, and fried. Commonly cooked in adobo dishes and roasted & mashed.

Graffiti eggplant is similar to Italian eggplant in size and shape, with pretty lavender and white mottled skin. Cooked in stews, pastas, and baked dishes.

Indian eggplant are small and can range from thumbnail to hen’s egg-sized. Dark reddish-purple in color, these are pickled, cooked in curries, soups, and stews.

Italian eggplant are hefty and fat, with black-purple skin. Used in ratatouille, Middle Eastern dishes, pastas, pizzas, stuffed eggplant dishes, and baked dishes.

Japanese eggplant are short and thin, with dark purple skin and dark-colored stems. Often pickled, used in tempura, and braised.

Thai eggplant are small, round, and greenish-white in color. Used in curries.

White eggplant are a heirloom variety and are cooked the same way as Italian and graffiti eggplants.

What’s your favorite sort of eggplant, and what’s your favorite recipe for it?

(Images: Kathryn Hill)

A Roundup Of Eggplant (2024)

FAQs

How do you solve eggplant? ›

Eggplants can be grilled, steamed, braised, stir-fried, deep-fried and roasted. For a smoky flavour, turn whole eggplants over an open flame on the barbecue or stovetop until the skin is charred, then scoop out the flesh. Choose eggplants with smooth and shiny skin that is even across the surface.

Is it safe to eat eggplant with black spots inside? ›

If there are any brown or dark spots in the flesh, it's best to toss the vegetable—however, there's one exception to this rule. Eggplant is susceptible to enzymatic browning, when fruits and veggies begin to brown after being exposed to oxygen (think: an apple or avocado that turns brown).

Where is 2 3 of the world's eggplants grown? ›

Did you know that New Jersey grows about 66 percent of the world's eggplants? It's true!

What is the healthiest way to eat eggplant? ›

What are the healthiest cooking methods for eggplant? The healthiest cooking methods for eggplant include baking, grilling, or roasting. These methods require minimal added fats and help retain the vegetable's nutrients.

Does Epsom salt help eggplant? ›

As the plants grow, they need an even moisture supply. They do well with a drip irrigation system, but many watering methods work. When the first blossoms appear, spray the plants with a seaweed extract with one teaspoon of Epsom salts dissolved per gallon. The solution improves fruit set.

When should you not eat eggplant? ›

Lusterless and shriveling exteriorA ripe, safe-to-eat eggplant looks really shiny and has tight, smooth skin. If your eggplant has lost its luster and/or looks wrinkly, it's past its prime and no longer good to cook with. Keep an eye out for brown spots around your eggplant, too.

How to tell if eggplant is bad inside? ›

Eggplant flesh will have tan to brown colored spots around the seeds. If this is the color you are referring to, it is edible. If the flesh is more brown than white, the eggplant may be spoiling and should be discarded.

Are the seeds in eggplant ok to eat? ›

Eggplant seeds are safe to eat, but vary in flavor. Younger eggplants tend to have fewer, lighter, and more neutral-tasting seeds, while more mature fruits can have darker seeds with a bitter taste. If you'd like to remove the seeds, gently do so by scooping them from your eggplant pieces using a spoon.

Which eggplant tastes better, male or female? ›

I read on a cooking blog that it's important to be able to distinguish between male and female eggplants, because males are less seedy and therefore less bitter. Supposedly, the difference can be detected by looking at the indentation at the bottom of the vegetable.

Should eggplant be grown in pots or ground? ›

Eggplants are especially demanding plants. They must be planted in a place that is warm, very sunny and well protected from prevailing winds. However, by growing your eggplants in containers – in dark-coloured pots – against a south-facing wall, you will get very satisfying results.

Why does my eggplant flower but no fruit? ›

What could be wrong? Given adequate sunlight, two primary reasons for eggplant's failure to produce are insufficient water and lack of pollination. Eggplants require a minimum of 2 inches of water per week to get established and during the growing period.

Who brought eggplant to America? ›

The eggplant was among the plants introduced early into America by the Spaniards. It was grown in Brazil before 1650. In the United States purple and white varieties for ornament were described in 1806. Until a mere 50 years ago many varieties of eggplant grown in America were for ornament only.

What is the second name for eggplant? ›

Introduction. Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.; 2n = 24), commonly known as brinjal, aubergine, or guinea squash, belongs to the Solanaceae family and is included under the genus Solanum, one of the largest genera covering more than 1550 species (Chen, 1997).

Who eats the most eggplant? ›

Global Eggplant Consumption

With nearly X thousand tons, China became the world's leading eggplant consuming country, making up X% of global consumption.

How to prevent eggplant from absorbing oil when frying? ›

Typically eggplant behaves like a sponge, soaking up heroic amounts of oil when fried. The Terzo Piano chefs use this trick to prevent heavy aubergines: Before frying, soak the strips of eggplant in an ice water bath. They will absorb water and drop in temperature.

How do you prevent eggplant disease? ›

Eggplant Diseases in the Garden

Many of these eggplant diseases can be eliminated or prevented by practicing crop rotation, reducing weed growth, and providing adequate spacing and uniform watering. Blossom end rot- Blossom end rot, as found in tomatoes, is caused from fungus due to overwatering and affects ripe fruit.

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