Aubergines: The Unassuming Mad Apple

Chef Kaviraj Khialani talks about egg-shaped vegetable known by a variety of names including mad apple, brinjal, aubergine and eggplant

Unlike tomatoes or peppers, aubergines are not sweet or edible raw. The large, purple, glossy, smooth-skinned vegetable is carried on a waist-high, stiff bushes with large, soft, almost downy leaves. The flowers are purple, resembling the potato more closely than the tomato, and spring from the stems between leaf joints. They frequently have spines on the stems. The aubergine is often called eggplant, or brinjal as the early forms, which you may still find, are white/ivory and egg shaped. Its was also formerly known as the mad apple.

Varieties

Although the purple varieties dominate the market place, some varieties such as Black Enorma produce enormous fruits. Most varieties are similar in growth, so the large fruited ones make the best choice, as there is much less waste when they are peeled. Also available are the white, egg-shaped and small-fruited varieties.

Culinary Uses

It is most popularly used to prepare the Indian favourite baingan bharta, stuffed baingan with a coconut filing in a rich poppyseed gravy, baked eggplants with a cheesy filling often go as a French accompaniment, not to forget the brinjal beignets. Italians savour the popular melanzane parmigiana and the Lebanese prepare muttabbal and roasted eggplant dips for their mezze platters.

(The author is head of department, food production, Kohinoor College of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Mumbai. He can be reached by e-mail at kaviraj21@hotmail.com)