Chinese cultivars are commonly shaped like a narrower, slightly pendulous cucumber. Its thin skin is also edible, and so it does not have to be peeled. As this fruit is a part of the nightshade family, it might have minor allergic reactions in some people. In particular, it is a berry, according to Nutritional Facts. Modern descendants of this ancient Dravidian word include Malayalam vaṟutina and Tamil vaṟutuṇai. Botanically, eggplant is a berry, just like blueberries, watermelon, or tomatoes. It was originally domesticated from the wild nightshade species thorn or bitter apple, S. incanum,[5][6][7] probably with two independent domestications: one in South Asia, and one in East Asia. “Friday,” probably, if you’ve been anywhere near a computer in the last few years. File eggplant into the category of most misunderstood vegetables (okay, technically it's a fruit). ... Eggplant. From Arabic, the word was borrowed into European languages. Harvest eggplant when fruits stop growing and their skin becomes glossy. They are steamed, stir-fried, or pan-fried and eaten as banchan (side dishes), such as namul, bokkeum, and jeon. [23] The Oxford English Dictionary records that between 1797 and 1888, the name vegetable egg was also used. Eggplant can be steamed, stir-fried, pan fried, deep fried, barbecued, roasted, stewed, curried, or pickled. EGGPLANT IS A FRUIT. [citation needed] Colors vary from white to yellow or green, as well as reddish-purple and dark purple. An English botany book in 1597 described the madde or raging Apple: This plant groweth in Egypt almost everywhere... bringing foorth fruite of the bignes of a great Cucumber.... We have had the same in our London gardens, where it hath borne flowers, but the winter approching before the time of ripening, it perished: notwithstanding it came to beare fruite of the bignes of a goose egge one extraordinarie temperate yeere... but never to the full ripenesse. [31][32], On 9 February 2010, the Environment Ministry of India imposed a moratorium on the cultivation of Bt brinjal after protests against regulatory approval of cultivated Bt brinjal in 2009, stating the moratorium would last "for as long as it is needed to establish public trust and confidence". Besides having a botanical identity crisis, they are also one of the fussiest produce in terms of harvest, handling and storage. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Imperial examination in Chinese mythology, "A Comparative Genetic Linkage Map of Eggplant (Solanum melongena) and Its Implications for Genome Evolution in the Solanaceae", "Patterns of Food Consumption in Early Modern Iran", Lost Crops of Africa, Volume II: Vegetables, "Eggplant, White — Solanum ovigerum Dun. Hand pollination by shaking the flowers improves the set of the first blossoms. Eggplant is a popular vegetable and a good source of antioxidants. Eggplant or aubergine is a species of nightshade grown for its edible fruit.. Botanically, eggplant is a berry, just like blueberries, watermelon, or tomatoes.In botany, a berry is a fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible, relatively soft pericarp. Solanum melongena is grown worldwide for its edible fruit. The skin of the fruit should look glossy and unwrinkled and have a uniform color. Also, they’re rich in potassium, manganese, phosphorus, vitamin C, K, and B and also have phytonutrients, including phenolic compounds, that make them bitter and turn eggplants brown in color after chopping. However, Solanum incanum and cockroach berry (S. capsicoides), other eggplant-like nightshades described by Linnaeus and Allioni, respectively, were occasionally considered eggplant varieties, but this is not correct. Early forms include: From these forms came the botanical Latin melongēna. Female P. operculella use the leaves to lay their eggs and the hatched larvae will eat away at the mesophyll of the leaf. Several other names that are now invalid have been uniquely applied to it:[63], A number of subspecies and varieties have been named, mainly by Dikii, Dunal, and (invalidly) by Sweet. and see text. Translated into English as 'mad-apple', 'rage-apple', or 'raging apple', this name for eggplants is attested from 1578 and the form 'mad-apple' may still be found in Southern American English. Flowers are chewed on to clean teeth. For this reason, it should generally not be planted in areas previously occupied by its close relatives. In Georgia, for example, it is fried and stuffed with walnut paste to make nigvziani badrijani. An example of it use is in the dish hasamiyaki (挟み焼き) in which slices of eggplant are grilled and filled with a meat stuffing. Eggplant is a fruit. The French name was then borrowed into British English, appearing there first in the late eighteenth century. Good sanitation and crop rotation practices are extremely important for controlling fungal disease, the most serious of which is Verticillium. [42][43], Chinese yúxiāng-qiézi (fish-fragrance eggplants), Korean dureup-gaji-jeon (pan-fried eggplants and angelica tree shoots), In the Philippines, eggplants are of the long and slender purple variety. Botanically classified as a berry, the fruit contains numerous small, soft, edible seeds that taste bitter because they contain or are covered in nicotinoid alkaloids, like the related tobacco. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and grows in various colors like deep shiny purple, green, lavender, white, and yellow with a green cap in different sizes and shapes. An aubergine is a solanaceous fruit native to Asia. In 2018, world production of eggplants was 54 million tonnes, led by China with 63% of the total and India with 24% (table). To find out, click, Is Avocado a Fruit or Vegetable? [47] Another popular dish is adobong talong, which is diced eggplant prepared with vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic as an adobo. Leaves are heated and then are chewed to ease throat pain in Sierra Leone. Eggplant prefers hot weather, and when grown in cold climates or in areas with low humidity, the plants languish or fail to set and produce mature fruit. Also, overmature eggplant fruit will become dull colored and often develop a bronze appearance. The stem is often spiny. Adult moths fly in from adjacent fields or infested debris and deposit eggs on new leaves. You guys: Eggplant is a FRUIT. The modern Hindustani words descending directly from the Sanskrit name are baingan and began. The eggplant (Solanum melongena) is in the nightshade family (Solanaceae). Fruit is used as a laxative, and as a means to treat cardiac diseases in Nigeria. [56], The color of purple skin cultivars is due to the anthocyanin nasunin. Eggplant is a popular vegetable and a good source of antioxidants. Eggplant can be hollowed out and stuffed with meat, rice, or other fillings, and then baked. December 27, 2020 December 26, 2020 by Juhani. Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is a relative of tomatoes. [25] Bāḏinjān is itself a loan-word in Arabic, whose earliest traceable origins lie in the Dravidian languages. But, did you know that eggplant is not a vegetable but a fruit? Also, eggplants are low in calories and rich in fiber; hence they can assist you in your weight loss journey. Eggplant fruit discolors rapidly when cut open, so it’s best to use it immediately once sliced. A. Remember eggplants flowers are not merely "perfect" (technical term to indicate they have both female and male gametophytes), but they self-pollinate readily like most others members of the nightshade family. One plant produces 4 to 6 large rounded fruit. On wild plants, the fruit is less than 3 cm (1 1⁄4 in) in diameter; in cultivated forms: 30 cm (12 in) or more in length are possible for long, narrow types or the large fat purple ones common to the West. esculentum (L.) Nees", "Bt Brinjal in Bangladesh: Too early to draw conclusions on contamination, says expert", "Korean restaurant owner cooks from the heart Andy Starnes/Post-Gazette", "All the hallmarks of world-class cuisine", "North, South, Go Pick! Four years should separate successive crops of eggplants to reduce pest pressure. Many eggplant dishes are sauces made by mashing the cooked fruit. In some parts of India, miniature cultivars, most commonly called, This page was last edited on 28 December 2020, at 17:18. File eggplant into the category of most misunderstood vegetables (okay, technically it's a fruit). Read: President-elect Joe Biden's full victory speech. Avoid storing eggplants with apples or tomatoes; ethylene (a natural plant hormone released in the form of a gas) given off by those fruits will cause eggplants to brown and decay. The plant species is believed to have originated in India, where it continues to grow wild,[9] or in Africa. Many Americans know the fruit better as an eggplant, while some regions of India refer to it as a brinjal.There are numerous other regional names for the aubergine, which plays a role in the cuisine of many nations. [40][41], In Korean cuisine, eggplants are known as gaji (가지). Culinarily, it's a vegetable, as it's used in main dishes and not eaten for sweetness. A Levantine specialty is makdous, another pickling of eggplants, stuffed with red peppers and walnuts in olive oil. « How to Harvest and Store Peppers Roots are boiled and the juice is then consumed to kill any hookworms in the stomach in Kenya. Eggplants are rich in antioxidants and nutrients that may lower the danger of many diseases. However, eggplant is eaten as a culinary vegetable. cancer . The Greek loans took a variety of forms, but crucially they began with m-, partly because Greek lacked the initial b- sound and partly through folk-etymological association with the Greek word μέλας (melas), 'black'. First recorded in 1763, the word "eggplant" was originally applied to white cultivars, which look very much like hen's eggs (see image). It’s a great source of dietary fibre and is in season in Victoria over summer and autumn. Also, Asian cultivars of Japanese breeding are grown. For maximum production, remove the eggplant fruit before they are fully mature to allow additional fruit to develop. [36] Eggplant flesh is smooth. If you are seeing berries (that's what eggplants technically are) it means the flowers were pollinated successfully. If your body is prone to absorbing oxalates, these crystals can cause kidney stones. To make it more nutritious, combine eggplant with other vegetables or meat. The dish is characteristically served with the stalk attached. Elsewhere in China, such as in Yunnan cuisine (in particular the cuisine of the Dai people) they are barbecued or roasted, then split and either eaten directly with garlic, chilli, oil and coriander, or the flesh is removed and pounded to a mash (typically with a wooden pestle and mortar) before being eaten with rice or other dishes. The edible fruit can be long and slender or round or egg-shaped fruit. They grow in a manner much like tomatoes, hanging from the vines of a plant that grows several feet in height. Penne with eggplant and basil in yogurt-tomato sauce. Eggplant is also known as aubergine. Learn all about this healthy fruit (yes, it's actually a fruit), why its good for you, how to begin using it at home, and of course some delicious recipes. The flowers and leaves can be poisonous if consumed in large quantities due to the presence of solanine. Adult moths fly in from adjacent fields or infested debris and deposit eggs on new leaves. Available in a cornucopia of beautiful colors, this fruit can be found in lavender to jade green, orange, and even yellow-white and also in a variety of shapes. The eggplant, aubergine, melongene, brinjal or guinea squash is a plant of the family Solanaceae. The standard eggplant produces egg-shaped, glossy, purple-black fruit. [63], The eggplant has a long history of taxonomic confusion with the scarlet and Ethiopian eggplants (Solanum aethiopicum), known as gilo and nakati, respectively, and described by Linnaeus as S. aethiopicum. [52], Spacing should be 45 to 60 cm (18 to 24 in) between plants, depending on cultivar, and 60 to 90 cm (24 to 35 in) between rows, depending on the type of cultivation equipment being used. Sometimes fried tomatoes and deep-fried potatoes are also added, creating a dish called begun bhorta. While starting eggplants takes a bit of effort, maintaining them in the ground is actually pretty easy. ‘Black Beauty’ is the traditional eggplant size. But before cooking the eggplant, be sure to rinse the salt off well. However, eggplant is eaten as a culinary vegetable. Fact: While it’s generally thought of as a vegetable, eggplant is actually a fruit. [10] It has been cultivated in southern and eastern Asia since prehistory. More tips: How to Grow Eggplant. Poor-quality eggplant fruit are generally associated with low moisture and high temperature conditions. All things considered, they are one of my personal favorites to plant in my garden each year. Roasted, skinned, mashed, mixed with onions, tomatoes, and spices, and then slow cooked gives the South Asian dish baingan bharta or gojju, similar to salată de vinete in Romania. [11] The numerous Arabic and North African names for it, along with the lack of the ancient Greek and Roman names, indicate it was grown throughout the Mediterranean area by the Arabs in the early Middle Ages, who introduced it to Spain in the 8th century. lasiocarpum.[63]. Eggplant parmigiana or eggplant Parmesan is one of the most popular and iconic vegetarian Italian dishes and this recipe is straight from Italy. Snowy Eggplant – As the name implies, this is a white variety with a mild flavor and meaty texture. Attested Greek forms include ματιζάνιον (matizanion, eleventh-century), μελιντζάνα (melintzana, fourteenth-century), and μελιντζάνιον (melintzanion, seventeenth-century). The eggplant fruit and shoot borer (Leucinodes orbonalis) is a serious eggplant pest in South and Southeast Asia. In addition to containing a variety of vitamins and minerals, eggplants boast a … The white, egg-shaped varieties of the eggplant's fruits are also known as garden eggs,[22] a term first attested in 1811. Some common cultivars have fruit that is egg-shaped, glossy, and purple with white flesh and a spongy, "meaty" texture. Traditional uses and benefits of African Eggplant. They are often deep fried and made into dishes such as yúxiāng-qiézi ("fish fragrance eggplant")[38] or di sān xiān ("three earthen treasures"). You can also use it in the baked form with tomato sauce and cheese. The plant and fruit have a profusion of English names. If you choose to salt your eggplant, first slice or cube it, and then salt generously, allowing the fruit to sit in a colander for at least an hour, preferably longer. Pruning eggplant plants will allow them to … They contain folate, and it has been recommended for. The Indic word vātiṅ-gaṇa was then borrowed into Persian as bādingān. The most common cultivates have a distinctive elongated broad oval shape, gently curving to a … Bt brinjal is a transgenic eggplant that contains a gene from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. Eggplant is an ideal food if you are generally healthy and want to LIVE YOUNGER. You may not believe, they exist! A. That means that many foods called vegetables when cooking are actually fruits. In Japanese cuisine, eggplants are known as nasu or nasubi and use the same characters as Chinese (茄子). Another version of the dish, begun-pora (eggplant charred or burnt), is very popular in Bangladesh and the east Indian states of Odisha and West Bengal where the pulp of the vegetable is mixed with raw chopped shallot, green chilies, salt, fresh coriander, and mustard oil. The answer is–Eggplant is a fruit and also categorized as a berry in botanical terms, as it contains small edible seeds. [44] However the most popular eggplant dish is tortang talong, an omelette made from grilling an eggplant, dipping it into beaten eggs, and pan-frying the mixture. Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is a member of the nightshade family and shares qualities with peppers and tomatoes. An actual S. violaceum, an unrelated plant described by Ortega, included Dunal's S. amblymerum and was often confused with the same author's S. 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