Do you know that eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and squash,
are really fruits? They can be white, yellowish, green, purple or purple-black
and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. You can saute, bake, roast, fry,
stuff, stir fry, steam or grill them. You can mix them with other vegetables
or with meat. Eggplant might compliment other food as a side dish, but good
enough to be a main course.
Purchasing Eggplant can be tricky. Here are some helpful tips. Always look
for a smaller eggplants - they are the best. Choose a firm, heavy eggplant
without any spots. You can check eggplant’s softness with a thumb, and
make sure the eggplant isn’t dry.
Eggplants are very perishable and could be bitter with age. Store it in a cool,
dry place and don’t keep them longer then 2 days. To store in the fridge, put in
the plastic bag.
Salting eggplant will reduce the amount of oil absorbed in cooking. Salt an
eggplant and later rinse it - it will reduce bitterness. You should peel the older
eggplants, but the skin of the young ones is edible.