Eggplant, brinjal or aubergine!
By Clive Larkman
Most of the vegetables we eat originated in Europe or Southern America but this is an odd one that is thought to come from Southern Asia or maybe Africa. This vegetable is known to have been eaten in China in the mid-6th Century. It is a member of the Solanaceae family, which includes potatoes, tomatoes and peppers (chilli/capsicum), which all come from the New World as part of the Columbian Exchange. This family is known as the Nightshade Family and includes plants of all types from trees to annuals. There are species native to all continents except Antarctica. It is also an ancient family with fossil records going back over 55 million years.
A couple of species are included in the common names, but the main one is Solanum melongena. Conventional belief is that it evolved in southern Asia, possibly as a domesticated cultivar of Bitter Apple Solanum incanum, which originated in eastern and western Africa and went through to the Middle East. The plant was thought to be transported into SE Asia and then evolved into the current species. The domesticated variety moved north into China and west through the Middle East, North Africa and the Mediterranean. From here, it entered Western Europe through Spain and Portugal.
In its native environment, it is a perennial that grows to around 1.2m. In the more temperate climates, it is a half-hardy annual as the mid-winter frosts usually knock it over. It usually has large lobed leaves, and attractive mauve to mauve white flowers over the summer. This turns into the popular fruit that varies from small white balls to large purple football-like fruits weighing up to a kilogram. Many cultivars used in Thai, Vietnamese and Malaysian cooking are small and round. They are technically classed as a berry with lots of small blackish seeds.
It has a range of common names with three basic forms and very different origins. Plants from Asian countries tend to use a form of the word Brinjal; in French and European countries, it is a form of the word Aubergine. These are almost Anglicised words in both cases, with the actual etymology being very complex. In Australian and US English, they are called Eggplants, which seems a bit silly for a large purple fruit. However, the first forms in these countries are small white fruits similar in size, shape and colour to a chicken’s egg. In fact, they were called Garden Eggs in some parts of the US.
The regions that use them as regular food have a huge range of cultivars and cooking methods. One of the best is the dip called Baba Ganouj, a mix of roasted aubergine blended with olive oil, lemon juice and local herbs. The Japanese have a delicious dish called Nasu Dengaku, which is a large aubergines glazed with a miso sauce and then baked or slowly grilled over hot coals. Asian cuisines tend to prefer the small rounds ones that are mixed into curries or stir-fries. India and its neighbours use them mostly in slow-cooked curries. The fruits do not have a strong flavour, but they easily absorb other flavours, which is why they are so popular in flavour-rich cuisines.
They are very easy to grow but need to be planted after the last frost and harvested before the late autumn frosts set in. They prefer well-drained but moist soil in a open position that is in full sun. As they are from sub-tropical SE Asia, they can tolerate hot, dry days but need regular watering over the summer months. As they are closely related to potatoes and tomatoes they should not be planted in beds that had these in the prior season. They are susceptible to similar pests and diseases.
The plants are not high in nutrients but have good, bush-ripened fruit with as much as 90% water. They are low in carbohydrates and moderate in oils. They are low in fats and are easy to produce. Hence, they are grown widely worldwide (60 million tonnes annually), with China and India having the largest crops. So call it what you may, and cook it however you like, but don’t overlook this plant for your veggie garden.