Eggplant is an annual plant. It belongs to the potato family, and is native to India, where it has been grown for thousands of years. Eggplant has large white to dark purple fleshy fruit that can be as large as six or eight inches in diameter. The Chinese and Arabs grew eggplant as early as the ninth century, and it is said to have been introduced into Europe by the early invaders. British traders brought this vegetable to the London market from West Africa in the seventeenth century, calling it "Guinea squash."
According to available records, the early types of eggplant had small fruits of ovoid shape. This, perhaps, accounts for its name.
Eggplant is available all year. Florida, California, Texas, Louisiana, and New Jersey produce most of the eggplant in this country.
Black Beauty and Fort Myers Market are the types most extensively grown, and Improved Large Purple and New York Purple are well-known varieties. Black Beauty plants grow to a height of twenty-four to thirty inches and have fruits that are globe-shaped with a slight tendency to being triangular: The fruits of this variety are large and symmetrical, but are thicker and broader than those of other varieties, and retain their glossy black-purple coloring for a long time. Fort Myers Market grows to three feet in height, and the fruits are long, oval, and deep black.
When selecting eggplant, choose those that are heavy and firm. They should have a uniform dark color and be free from blemish.
Eggplant is best steamed or baked. Cheese and tomatoes can be added for flavoring.
Benefits of EggplantEggplant is low in calories and is a nonstarchy fruit that is cooked as a vegetable. It contains a large amount of water. It is good for balancing diets that are heavy in protein and starches.
Nutrients in one pound
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