Aubergine
FridgeWhat do aubergine and tomato have in common? Though we use them like vegetables, they’re technically considered fruits because they grow from a flowering plant and have seeds. That doesn’t mean you can add it to your fruit salad though! Although aubergines (or eggplant) can have a spongy texture when they’re raw, and often taste bitter and/or bland, they truly do transform when they’re cooked. They can also cause gastrointestinal problems when eaten raw, so it’s always recommended you cook them thoroughly. Though they look enormous, you’ll want to prepare more than you think. Around 50% of the volume of the fruit is air, and they also have a very high water content. Once you’ve cooked them, they’ll look tiny! Popular in Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisines as well as in plenty of Asian countries, eggplant is versatile and can be used as a side dish, in mains like curries, or pureed to make dips and spreads. A crowd favourite is cooking them on grills or over flames, which lends a lovely smoky flavor and forms the basis for some popular dishes like babaganoush. Plus, we could never forget the humble moussaka. And let’s face it, they don’t really look like eggs. At all. So why do we call them eggplants? Centuries ago, European eggplants were much smaller than today’s aubergines. Instead of the deep purple color we now associate with them, they were usually yellow or white. So because of their size, color, and firmness, they looked like eggs – hence the name eggplant. In some parts of the world, they’re called brinjals. Though the purple ones are most common, aubergine varieties come in different colors including white, green, and purple with white stripes.
Aubergine nutrition and vitamin info per 100g
| Energy | 24.860000610351562 | kcal |
| Total Fat | 0.18000000715255737 | g |
| Carbohydrate Total | 5.880000114440918 | g |
| Sugars | 3.5299999713897705 | g |
| Protein | 0.9800000190734863 | g |
| Sodium | 2 | mg |
| Fiber | 3 | g |
1897 recipes to cook with Aubergine
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Aubergine substitutes
- Regular substitute
Aubergine equivalents and varieties
Aubergine cooking tips
Samsung FoodEggplants will take 15 to 25 minutes to fully cook depending on its variety and size. If you undercook them you will get bitter-tasting veggie.
- Samsung Food
Flesh will begin to discolour if you prepare aubergine long before you want to cook it.
- Samsung Food
Sprinke aubergine with salt after slicing them. It will firm up the flesh and stop them from soaking up as much oil.
- Samsung Food
You should keep aubergine cool but not cold. Fridge may cause soft spots to form, so a cool dark place is better option.