The eggplant is a vegetable which is highly valued for its beauty, as well as for its unique flavor and texture. Eggplants belong to the Solanaceae family, to which tomatoes, potatoes and peppers also belong.
The most popular variety of eggplant has the shape of an oval pear.
In addition to this variety of eggplant, there are also many other varieties of colors, including lavender, jade green, orange, yellow and white, and many other sizes and shapes, ranging from that of a small tomato to a large zucchini.
Although the flavor and texture may be slightly different depending on the variety, we can describe the eggplant as having a pleasant bitter taste and a spongy texture.
In many recipes, the eggplant is a complementary ingredient that balances the flavors of other, more intense ingredients.
This vegetable is always present in hypocaloric diets, because it has very few calories and can be cooked in different ways.
The best way to consume the eggplant is steamed, grilled, fried and stuffed. It can also be boiled and roasted.
It should be kept in an open basket between 3 days to 1 week.
The freshest eggplant has smooth, shiny skin, firm, intact flesh with the peduncle and green goblet.
If it is kept in the refrigerator for many days, it starts to wither and has a bitter taste.
Health Benefits
This vegetable is rich in fiber and low in calories.
The eggplant is recommended in the treatment of cholesterol, because it is rich in antioxidants and fibers. Therefore, using eggplant as an ingredient in juices or sautéed as a side dish for meat, is a good way to increase the intake of this vegetable, thus improving its effect on cholesterol control.
Origin: Portugal
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