Plant Description
Eggplant is a warm-seasoned crop which grows upto the height of 40 to 150 cm (16 to 57 inches). This plant of the nightshade family has large coarsely lobed leaves which are 10 to 20 cm (4-8 in) long and 5 to 10 cm (2-4 in) broad. It is a delicate perennial often cultivated as an annual. The flowers are white to purple, with a five-lobed corolla and yellow stamens.

The large, glossy and egg-shaped fruit of the plant is fleshy, less than 3 cm in diameter on wild plants, but much larger in cultivated forms. Certain cultivars of eggplant bear larger fruits which are 2 to 12 inches in length. The fruit is botanically classified as a berry, and contains numerous small,

 

Etymology
The scientific name Solanum melongena is derived from a 16th century Arabic term for one kind of eggplant. Interestingly, the term ‘eggplant’ was developed in USA, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada because the fruits of some 18th century European cultivars were yellow or white and resembled goose or hen’s eggs.

 

Brief History
A native to India and Sri Lanka, Eggplants has been widely cultivated in all temperate regions of the world. They are known to southern and eastern Asian countries since immemorial. In the sixteenth

century, Arabic traders has introduced this vegetable in the West. The first known written record of the eggplant is found in Qí mín yào shù, an ancient Chinese agricultural treatise completed in 544 CE. Today, almost all continents of the world is aware with eggplant. On a commercial scale, China currently leads the world in eggplant production, followed by India, Japan, Turkey, and Egypt.

 

 

Eggplants and Nutrition
Since eggplants contain low calorie content, they are regarded as a healthy food by many dietitians. They are also good sources of Vitamin C, potassium and calcium. One hundred grams of a raw eggplant would contain around 24 calories, while one hundred grams of boiled eggplants contain roughly 35 calories.

In one hundred grams of boiled eggplants you will also get 9 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of protein, zero fat, zero cholesterol and 239 milligrams of sodium.

 

Culinary Uses
This versatile egg-shaped berry is featured in cuisines around the world. Eggplant may be stewed with tomatoes, grilled, roasted, battered and deep-fried, or stuffed and baked. As its flesh is quite bitter in taste with an unpleasant texture, it is not eaten raw. The thin skin is also edible, so that the eggplant need not be peeled.

Eggplant is the vital element of many globally renowned dishes like the French ratatouille, the Italian melanzane alla parmigiana, and the Middle Eastern baba ghanuj. In Indian cuisines, it is used in variety of ways ranging from curries to chutneys. “Baigun Bhurta” is the most popular cuisine of India. It is used in preparing sambhar, a very popular dish of southern regions of India especially in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Plant Description
Eggplant is a warm-seasoned crop which grows upto the height of 40 to 150 cm (16 to 57 inches). This plant of the nightshade family has large coarsely lobed leaves which are 10 to 20 cm (4-8 in) long and 5 to 10 cm (2-4 in) broad. It is a delicate perennial often cultivated as an annual. The flowers are white to purple, with a five-lobed corolla and yellow stamens.

The large, glossy and egg-shaped fruit of the plant is fleshy, less than 3 cm in diameter on wild plants, but much larger in cultivated forms. Certain cultivars of eggplant bear larger fruits which are 2 to 12 inches in length. The fruit is botanically classified as a berry, and contains numerous small,

 

Etymology
The scientific name Solanum melongena is derived from a 16th century Arabic term for one kind of eggplant. Interestingly, the term ‘eggplant’ was developed in USA, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada because the fruits of some 18th century European cultivars were yellow or white and resembled goose or hen’s eggs.

 

Brief History
A native to India and Sri Lanka, Eggplants has been widely cultivated in all temperate regions of the world. They are known to southern and eastern Asian countries since immemorial. In the sixteenth

century, Arabic traders has introduced this vegetable in the West. The first known written record of the eggplant is found in Qí mín yào shù, an ancient Chinese agricultural treatise completed in 544 CE. Today, almost all continents of the world is aware with eggplant. On a commercial scale, China currently leads the world in eggplant production, followed by India, Japan, Turkey, and Egypt.

 

 

Eggplants and Nutrition
Since eggplants contain low calorie content, they are regarded as a healthy food by many dietitians. They are also good sources of Vitamin C, potassium and calcium. One hundred grams of a raw eggplant would contain around 24 calories, while one hundred grams of boiled eggplants contain roughly 35 calories.

In one hundred grams of boiled eggplants you will also get 9 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of protein, zero fat, zero cholesterol and 239 milligrams of sodium.

 

Culinary Uses
This versatile egg-shaped berry is featured in cuisines around the world. Eggplant may be stewed with tomatoes, grilled, roasted, battered and deep-fried, or stuffed and baked. As its flesh is quite bitter in taste with an unpleasant texture, it is not eaten raw. The thin skin is also edible, so that the eggplant need not be peeled.

Eggplant is the vital element of many globally renowned dishes like the French ratatouille, the Italian melanzane alla parmigiana, and the Middle Eastern baba ghanuj. In Indian cuisines, it is used in variety of ways ranging from curries to chutneys. “Baigun Bhurta” is the most popular cuisine of India. It is used in preparing sambhar, a very popular dish of southern regions of India especially in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.