Indian Eggplant is very popular in Indian cuisine. It is about the size of a tomato and almost perfectly round. Additionally, it has dark, purple skin, and it is sweet and tender with very few seeds.
Are eggplants Indian?
The eggplant is native to India and has been cultivated in southern and eastern Asia since prehistory but appears to have become known to the Western world no earlier than ca. 1500. The first known written record of the plant is found in Qí mín yào shù, an ancient Chinese agricultural treatise completed in 544.
What is an eggplant called in India?
Brinjal
Brinjal or baingan, known as eggplant and aubergine in North America and Europe respectively, is a very important common man’s vegetable in India. It is often described as a poor man’s vegetable because it is popular amongst small-scale farmers and low income consumers.
Is Indian eggplant the same as regular eggplant?
Indian eggplants are sweeter and more tender than American and Italian Eggplants. These eggplants are small and round, just a few inches long, and have a smooth, dark purple skin. Indian eggplants have a thicker skin than Chinese and Japanese, however, still not as thick as Americaan and Italian Eggplants.
What cultures use eggplant?
Eggplant is central to the French ratatouille, Greek moussaka, Middle Eastern baba ganoush, Italian eggplant parmigiana, and Asian stir fries and curries. It can be cooked in different ways: deep fried, roasted, sauteed, baked, grilled, mashed, braised, steamed, stewed, or stuffed.
Why do Indians call eggplant brinjal?
Brinjal belongs to the family of Solanaceae, also commonly known as nightshades, and are cousins of potatoes, tomatoes and bell peppers. They hang from vines and some varieties actually look egg shaped– which is why the name “Eggplants”.
What does Indian eggplant look like?
Indian eggplants are small and oval, averaging 5-7 centimeters depending on maturity. This egg-shaped fruit has a glossy, smooth, and medium-thick dark purple outer skin. The inner flesh is firm, crisp, and creamy white with a few, small edible seeds.
Is it OK to eat eggplant?
Luckily, the answer is yes! While the leaves and flowers can be toxic, the eggplant itself is safe to consume both raw and cooked, and the compound that some might be sensitive to, solanine, is only toxic when consumed in large quantities.
When did eggplant come to India?
The archaeological find in Rakhigarhi puts a 4000 BCE timeline to aubergine as food in the Southeast Asian region of India and Pakistan.
What is the name of this fruit ??
eggplant, (Solanum melongena), also called aubergine or Guinea squash, tender perennial plant of the nightshade family (Solanaceae), grown for its edible fruits. Eggplant requires a warm climate and has been cultivated in its native Southeast Asia since remote antiquity.
Is Indian eggplant bitter?
A young, freshly picked eggplant with smooth, glossy skin and intense color will have no bitterness whatsoever if consumed soon after picking. Old or overripe eggplants or those that are off color or sit out for a while after being harvested are more likely to exhibit a bitter flavor.
Can you eat eggplant skin?
While the skin of a small young eggplant is edible, the skin becomes bitter on larger or older eggplants and should be peeled. When in doubt, the answer to, “Do you peel eggplant before cooking?” is yes, peel it.
Are Japanese and Chinese eggplant the same?
Characterized by their long, narrow shape, both Japanese and Chinese eggplant can be hard to differentiate. Japanese eggplant tends to have a much deeper purple color, while Chinese eggplant is usually lighter, more lavender-purple, and is sometimes even longer.
Which countries eat the most eggplant?
Which European countries offer most opportunities for aubergines? Southern European countries such as Italy and Spain have the highest consumption, but they are also big producers themselves.
Which country eats eggplant?
China
Eggplants and Geography
China leads the world in eggplant cultivation, followed by India, Egypt, Iran and Turkey. In the US, eggplant is a specialty vegetable, and the major states are Florida, California and New Jersey.
Where is eggplant most popular?
Eggplants on display for sale in a market. Eggplant, also known as aubergine (Solanum melongena), is a nightshade species that is cultivated for its edible fruit.
Top Eggplant Producing Countries In The World.
| Rank | Country | Production (in tons), 2013 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 28,433,500 |
| 2 | India | 13,444,000 |
| 3 | Egypt | 1,246,707 |
| 4 | Turkey | 826,941 |
What vegetables are native to India?
Vegetable origins
| Vegetable | Hindi name | Likely time of introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Calabash | Lauki/Pankaj | |
| Cauliflower | Phool Gobhi | 1822 CE |
| Chili pepper | Mirch | 1550 CE |
| Coriander | Dhaniya | 1000 AD by Arabs |
Is there a difference between brinjal and eggplant?
Brinjal and eggplant are two different terms we use interchangeably to refer to the same food. Eggplant is an egg-shaped fruit. It is quite fleshy and frequently cooked as a vegetable. Brinjal is a less common name used for eggplants; South Asians such as Indians and Sri Lankans mainly use this name.
Who is the king of vegetables?
The brinjal was given the title of King of Vegetables because of its astonishingly awesome purple covering, and also the juicy and rich nutritional values in them. Eggplant, aubergine, and brinjal are members of the Solanaceae family.
How big is an Indian eggplant?
5-7 centimeters
Indian eggplants are small and oval, averaging 5-7 centimeters depending on maturity. This egg-shaped fruit has a glossy, smooth, and medium-thick dark purple outer skin.
What’s the difference between eggplant and Japanese eggplant?
Shape: Globe eggplants are a standard American eggplant that grows large and heavy with a rounded end. Japanese eggplant varieties are long and slender fruits that look more like a dark-purple cucumber than a globe eggplant.