Eggplant

Eggplant, botanically name Solanum melongena is also called aubergine or Guinea squash. The eggplant is a nightshade vegetable, like potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers. It originally comes from India and Asia, where it still grows wild. Eggplants made their way to Europe with the Islamic empire in the 7th and 8th centuries.

The plant requires a warm climate and has been cultivated in its native Southeast Asia since remote antiquity.

Eggplant has a unique taste and texture making it an ideal ingredient in a variety of dishes. Eggplant can be added to: curry, baba ganoush. pasta, pizza, bread, kebab, lasagna. Eggplant also can be served together with: antipasto salad, meatballs, garlic bread, grilled zucchini, roasted broccolini, sauteed green beans

Eggplant has a rich, meaty inside that takes on a creamy consistency when cook. The hearty texture makes it a good stand-in for meat.

Eggplant is low in calories and sodium, and is a great source of dietary fiber, potassium, and B vitamins. A serving of eggplant can provide at least 5% of a person’s daily requirement of fiber, copper, manganese, B-6, and thiamine. It also contains other vitamins and minerals. In addition, eggplants are a source of phenolic compounds that act as antioxidants.
Eggplant