Eggplant
Eggplant is a spongy, mild-flavored fruit vegetable that takes on a rich, creamy texture and absorbs oil and seasoning readily, making it central to dishes across the Mediterranean, Middle East, and Asia.
How to buy
Choose eggplants that feel firm and heavy for their size, with smooth, glossy, unblemished skin. Press gently -- the flesh should spring back rather than leave a dent, which signals age or overripeness. The cap and stem should look fresh, not shriveled.
How to store
Keep eggplant at cool room temperature or in the crisper drawer, ideally wrapped loosely, since it's sensitive to cold and can develop pitting and soft spots below about 50°F. Use within 3-5 days, as it declines quickly once cut.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Mild and faintly bitter raw, with little flavor of its own until cooked, when it turns rich, slightly sweet, and almost meaty. It readily absorbs oil, garlic, and spices, which is why it plays such a central role in so many cuisines.
- Texture
- Spongy and somewhat dry raw; cooking transforms it into something soft, creamy, and almost custard-like, especially when roasted whole until collapsed.
- Aroma
- A mild, faintly vegetal smell raw, with little distinctive aroma until it's cooked, when it turns subtly sweet and smoky if charred.
How to prepare
- Roasted whole — Charred over flame or roasted until completely collapsed and smoky, then scooped out for dips like baba ganoush.
- Sliced and fried — Cut into rounds or planks and fried until golden, often breaded first.
- Grilled — Sliced and grilled until tender with char marks, commonly used in Mediterranean dishes.
- Braised — Cooked slowly in sauce until it turns silky and absorbs the surrounding flavors.
- Stir-fried — Cut into strips and cooked quickly over high heat, often in a savory garlic sauce.
Classic dishes
Italian
- Melanzane alla parmigiana — Fried eggplant slices layered with tomato sauce and cheese and baked.
- Caponata — A sweet-and-sour Sicilian relish of fried eggplant, celery, olives, and capers.
- Eggplant involtini — Thin eggplant slices rolled around a ricotta filling and baked in tomato sauce.
Chinese
- Yu xiang qiezi — Sichuan fish-fragrant eggplant, braised in a savory-sweet, garlicky sauce despite having no fish.
- Mapo eggplant — A vegetarian riff on mapo tofu using braised eggplant in a spicy, numbing sauce.
Japanese
- Nasu dengaku — Grilled eggplant halves glazed with sweet miso and broiled until caramelized.
- Eggplant tempura — Battered and deep-fried eggplant slices served as part of a tempura platter.
Indian
- Baingan bharta — Smoky roasted eggplant mashed and cooked with onion, tomato, and spices.
- Eggplant and chickpea curry — Cubed eggplant simmered in a spiced tomato-based curry with chickpeas.
French
- Ratatouille — A stewed vegetable dish from Provence where eggplant is a key component.
Mediterranean
- Grilled eggplant salad — Charred eggplant tossed with olive oil, herbs, and sometimes yogurt.
- Eggplant fritters — Grated or mashed eggplant bound and fried into crisp fritters.
Greek
- Moussaka — Layers of fried eggplant, spiced meat sauce, and béchamel baked until golden.
- Melitzanosalata — A Greek eggplant dip similar to baba ganoush, blended with olive oil and garlic.
Spanish
- Berenjenas con miel — Fried eggplant sticks drizzled with honey, a Andalusian-rooted sweet-savory dish.
Middle Eastern
- Baba ganoush — A smoky dip of charred, mashed eggplant blended with tahini, garlic, and lemon.
- Imam bayildi — Eggplant halves braised and stuffed with onion, tomato, and garlic, served cold or warm.
- Eggplant tagine — A North African stew where eggplant is braised with spices, tomato, and chickpeas.