Eggplant
Solanum melongena
Earthy, slightly bitter when raw; develops sweet umami when properly cooked; deeply savory in smoky preparations (charred, grilled).
About Eggplant
Eggplant (aubergine in British English) is the deep-purple, glossy-skinned nightshade that defines Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and South Asian cuisines — Italian eggplant Parmigiana, Greek moussaka, Turkish imam bayıldı, Lebanese baba ghanoush, Sicilian caponata, Chinese eggplant with garlic sauce, Indian baingan bharta, Thai green curry eggplant. The cooking behavior is bimodal: properly cooked eggplant is creamy and silky; improperly cooked eggplant is bitter, dense, and spongy. The key is high enough heat to develop caramelization and break down the cell structure. Salt-and-drain pre-treatment removes bitter compounds in older specimens; modern cultivars typically don't require salting. Globe (Italian), Japanese (long thin), and Thai (small green) varieties have distinct culinary uses.
Variety profile
Common uses
- Eggplant Parmigiana
- Baba ghanoush
- Moussaka
- Asian eggplant stir-fry
- Caponata (Sicilian)
Editorial notes
Smaller eggplants have fewer seeds and less bitterness than large ones. Modern cultivars are less bitter — salting before cooking is usually unnecessary unless using older heirloom varieties.