Eggplant

Australian eggplants are plentiful and great value from late December onwards. Most are purple and oval or pear shaped, but you can find white, lavender and red-striped varieties in supermarkets too.

Nutrition notes

Eggplant is almost 95 percent water, full of fibre and fat free, providing just 21 calories per 100g. The skin is rich in cancer-fighting flavonoids and antioxidants, which can help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. Eggplant is also packed with compounds called terpenes, which can help to lower cholesterol.
 

Buying

Select eggplants that feel heavy for their size, are smooth and firm, and have a satin-like, glossy skin.

Storing

Keep eggplant in the vegetable crisper or in an unsealed plastic bag in the fridge for up to five days. Make sure that your fridge isn’t too cold though, as excessive cold can damage the eggplant, causing soft, spongy areas.

Preparing

Older recipes often require eggplant to be salted and rinsed to reduce its bitterness before cooking, but you don’t need to do this with newer varieties. The advantage of this ‘purging’ is that it reduces some of the oil that the eggplant absorbs during cooking.

To salt eggplant, slice it lengthwise and sprinkle with salt. Stand for about 30 minutes, wash off the salt and pat dry.

Enjoying

• Add to sauces. Throw in cooked, sliced or cubed eggplant to sauces like bolognese and to fish, meat and vegie curries.
• Make a French-style ratatouille. Gently sauté 2 chopped onions and 2 cloves of crushed garlic in a little olive oil until golden. Add 1 large eggplant, cubed, 1 sliced red pepper and 2 zucchini, sliced. Stir in a can of chopped tomatoes and 1tsp dried oregano. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Season and enjoy with roasted meats or with fish.
• Make Punjabi brinjal aloo (eggplant with potatoes). Scorch 2 large, whole aubergines over a naked flame until the skin is blistered and the flesh is soft. Allow to cool slightly and then chop. Lightly sauté 1 large, chopped onion in a little canola oil with 2 cloves of garlic, crushed. Stir in 2tsp grated fresh ginger, 1tsp garam masala, 1tsp chilli powder, 2tsp coriander powder and the eggplant along with 4 cooked potatoes, cubed, and 4 tomatoes, chopped. Pour in a cup of water and 2tsp tamarind paste. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Season and add a handful of chopped fresh coriander. Serve with Indian or Arabic bread.