Difference between revisions of "Eggplant" - New World Encyclopedia
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The '''eggplant''', '''aubergine''', or '''brinjal''' (''Solanum melongena'') is a plant of the family ''[[Solanaceae]]'' (also known as the nightshades) and genus ''[[Solanum]]''. It bears a [[fruit]] of the same name, commonly used as a [[vegetable]] in cooking. As a night-shade, it is closely related to the [[tomato]] and [[potato]] and is native to [[India]] and [[Sri Lanka]]. | The '''eggplant''', '''aubergine''', or '''brinjal''' (''Solanum melongena'') is a plant of the family ''[[Solanaceae]]'' (also known as the nightshades) and genus ''[[Solanum]]''. It bears a [[fruit]] of the same name, commonly used as a [[vegetable]] in cooking. As a night-shade, it is closely related to the [[tomato]] and [[potato]] and is native to [[India]] and [[Sri Lanka]]. | ||
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| + | The eggplant is a food crop grown for its [[fruit]], which can be any size from small to large and pendulous, depending on cultivar, and might be many colors, especially purple, green, or white. | ||
==Overview and description== | ==Overview and description== | ||
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[[Image:Eggplant (Flower).jpg|left|thumb|250px|''Solanum melongena'', flower]] | [[Image:Eggplant (Flower).jpg|left|thumb|250px|''Solanum melongena'', flower]] | ||
| − | + | Eggplant is native to [[India]].<ref>Tsao and Lo in "Vegetables: Types and Biology". ''Handbook of Food Science, Technology, and Engineering'' by Yiu H. Hui (2006). CRC Press. ISBN 1574445510.</ref><ref>Doijode, S. D. (2001). ''Seed storage of horticultural crops'' (pp 157). Haworth Press: ISBN 1560229012</ref> It has been cultivated in southern and eastern [[Asia]] since prehistory but appears to have become known to the Western world no earlier than ca. 1500 [[Common era|CE]]. The first known written record of the eggplant is found in [[Qí mín yào shù]], an ancient Chinese agricultural treatise completed in 544 C.E.<ref>{{cite |author=Fuchsia Dunlop |title=Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook: Recipes from Hunan Province |publisher=Ebury Press |date=2006 |pages=202}}</ref> The numerous [[Arabic language|Arabic]] and North African names for it, along with the lack of ancient Greek and Roman names, indicate that it was introduced throughout the [[Mediterranean]] area by the [[Arabs]] in the early [[Middle Ages]]. The scientific name ''Solanum melongena'' is derived from a 16th century Arabic term for one kind of eggplant. | |
The name ''eggplant'' developed in the [[United States]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], and [[Canada]] because the fruits of some 18th century European cultivars were yellow or white and resembled goose or hen's eggs. The name ''aubergine'' in British English developed based on the French ''aubergine'' (as derived from [[Catalan language|Catalan]] ''albergínia,'' from [[Arabic language|Arabic]] ''al-badinjan,'' from [[Persian language|Persian]] ''badin-gan'', from [[Sanskrit]] ''vatin-ganah''.). In Indian and South African English, the fruit is known as a "brinjal." Aubergine and brinjal, with their distinctive br-jn or brn-jl aspects, derive from Arabic and Sanskrit. In the caribbean [[Trinidad]], it also goes by the latin derivative "melongen". | The name ''eggplant'' developed in the [[United States]], [[Australia]], [[New Zealand]], and [[Canada]] because the fruits of some 18th century European cultivars were yellow or white and resembled goose or hen's eggs. The name ''aubergine'' in British English developed based on the French ''aubergine'' (as derived from [[Catalan language|Catalan]] ''albergínia,'' from [[Arabic language|Arabic]] ''al-badinjan,'' from [[Persian language|Persian]] ''badin-gan'', from [[Sanskrit]] ''vatin-ganah''.). In Indian and South African English, the fruit is known as a "brinjal." Aubergine and brinjal, with their distinctive br-jn or brn-jl aspects, derive from Arabic and Sanskrit. In the caribbean [[Trinidad]], it also goes by the latin derivative "melongen". | ||
Revision as of 20:59, 26 May 2008
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| Solanum melongena L. |
The eggplant, aubergine, or brinjal (Solanum melongena) is a plant of the family Solanaceae (also known as the nightshades) and genus Solanum. It bears a fruit of the same name, commonly used as a vegetable in cooking. As a night-shade, it is closely related to the tomato and potato and is native to India and Sri Lanka.
The eggplant is a food crop grown for its fruit, which can be any size from small to large and pendulous, depending on cultivar, and might be many colors, especially purple, green, or white.
Overview and description
Solanaceae is a family of flowering plants in the Solanales order, characterized by five-petaled flowers, typically conical or funnelform, and alternate or alternate to opposite leaves, and including some of the more important food and drug-producing plants, including potato, tomato, eggplant, tobacco, chili pepper, and deadly nightshade. This family is known as the potato or nightshade family. Members of this family vary greatly in terms of morphology, ecology, and habit. In general, they have flowers that are typically conical or funnelform with five petals, alternate leaves, stamens usually present in multiples of four (most commonly four or eight), and inferior ovaries. Many of the plants are edible, while others are poisonous. The Solanaceae are known for possessing a diverse range of alkaloids. As far as humans are concerned, these alkaloids can be desirable, toxic, or both,
It is a delicate perennial often cultivated as an annual. It grows 40 to 150 cm (16 to 57 in) tall, with large coarsely lobed leaves that are 10 to 20 cm (4-8 in) long and 5 to 10 cm (2-4 in) broad. (Semi-)wild types can grow much larger, to 225 cm (7 ft) with large leaves over 30 cm (12 in) long and 15 cm (6 in) broad. The stem is often spiny. The flowers are white to purple, with a five-lobed corolla and yellow stamens. The fruit is fleshy, less than 3 cm in diameter on wild plants, but much larger in cultivated forms.
The fruit is botanically classified as a berry, and contains numerous small, soft seeds, which are edible, but are bitter because they contain nicotinoid alkaloids, unsurprising in a close relative of tobacco.
History
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Eggplant is native to India.[1][2] It has been cultivated in southern and eastern Asia since prehistory but appears to have become known to the Western world no earlier than ca. 1500 C.E. The first known written record of the eggplant is found in Qí mín yào shù, an ancient Chinese agricultural treatise completed in 544 C.E.[3] The numerous Arabic and North African names for it, along with the lack of ancient Greek and Roman names, indicate that it was introduced throughout the Mediterranean area by the Arabs in the early Middle Ages. The scientific name Solanum melongena is derived from a 16th century Arabic term for one kind of eggplant.
The name eggplant developed in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada because the fruits of some 18th century European cultivars were yellow or white and resembled goose or hen's eggs. The name aubergine in British English developed based on the French aubergine (as derived from Catalan albergínia, from Arabic al-badinjan, from Persian badin-gan, from Sanskrit vatin-ganah.). In Indian and South African English, the fruit is known as a "brinjal." Aubergine and brinjal, with their distinctive br-jn or brn-jl aspects, derive from Arabic and Sanskrit. In the caribbean Trinidad, it also goes by the latin derivative "melongen".
Because of the eggplant's relationship with the Solanaceae (nightshade) family, it was at one time believed to be poisonous. While it is true that eggplant can generally be eaten without ill effect by most people, for some, the eating of eggplant as well as other edible nightshade plants (tomato, potato, and capsicum/peppers) can indeed be harmful. Some eggplants can be rather bitter, which can irritate the stomach lining and cause gastritis. Some sources, particularly in the natural health community, state that nightshades, including eggplant, can cause or significantly worsen arthritis and should be avoided by those sensitive to them. [4]
Cultivated varieties
The most widely grown cultivated varieties (cultivars) in Europe and North America today are elongated ovoid, 12-25 cm long (4 1/2 to 9 in) and 6-9 cm broad (2 to 4 in) with a dark purple skin. A much wider range of shapes, sizes and colors is grown in India and elsewhere in Asia. Larger varieties weighing up to a kilogram (2 pounds) grow in the region between the Ganges and Yamuna rivers, while smaller varieties are found elsewhere. Colors vary from white to yellow or green as well as reddish-purple and dark purple. Some cultivars have a color gradient, from white at the stem to bright pink to deep purple or even black. Green or purple cultivars with white striping also exist. Chinese eggplants are commonly shaped like a narrower, slightly pendulous cucumber, and sometimes were called Japanese eggplants in North America.
Oval or elongated oval-shaped and black-skinned cultivars include: 'Harris Special Hibush', 'Burpee Hybrid', 'Black Magic', 'Classic', 'Dusky', and 'Black Beauty'. Long, slim cultivars with purple-black skin include: 'Little Fingers', 'Ichiban', 'Pingtung Long', and 'Tycoon'; with green skin: 'Louisiana Long Green' and 'Thai (Long) Green'; with white skin: 'Dourga'. Traditional, white-skinned, oval-shaped cultivars include 'Casper' and 'Easter Egg'. Bicolored cultivars with color gradient include: 'Rosa Bianca', and 'Violetta di Firenze'. Bicolored cultivars with striping include: 'Listada de Gandia' and 'Udumalapet'. In some parts of India, miniature varieties of eggplants (most commonly called Vengan) are very popular.
Cooking
The raw fruit can have a somewhat bitter taste, but becomes tender when cooked and develops a rich, complex flavor. Salting and then rinsing the sliced eggplant (known as "degorging") can soften and remove much of the bitterness. Some modern varieties do not need this treatment, as they are less bitter. The eggplant is capable of absorbing large amounts of cooking fats and sauces, allowing for very rich dishes, but the salting process will reduce the amount of oil absorbed. The fruit flesh is smooth; as in the related tomato, the numerous seeds are soft and edible along with the rest of the fruit. The thin skin is also edible, so that the eggplant need not be peeled.
The eggplant is used in cuisines from Japan to Spain. It is often stewed, as in the French ratatouille, the Italian melanzane alla parmigiana, the Greek moussaka, and Middle-Eastern and South Asian dishes. It may also be roasted in its skin until charred, so that the pulp can be removed and blended with other ingredients such as lemon, tahini, and garlic, as in the Middle Eastern dish baba ghanoush and the similar Greek dish melitzanosalata or the Indian dishes of Baigan Bhartha or Gojju. It can be sliced, battered, and deep-fried, then served with various sauces which may be based on yoghurt, tahini, or tamarind. Grilled and mashed eggplant mixed with onions, tomatoes, and spices makes the Indian dish baingan ka bhartha. The eggplant can also be stuffed with meat, rice, or other fillings and then baked. In the Caucasus, for example, it is fried and stuffed with walnut paste to make nigvziani badrijani.
As a native plant, it is widely used in Indian cuisine, for example in sambhar, chutney, curries, and achaar. Owing to its versatile nature and wide use in both everyday and festive Indian food, it is often described (under the name brinjal) as the 'King of Vegetables'. In one dish, Brinjal is stuffed with ground coconut, peanuts, and masala and then cooked in oil.
Cultivation
In tropical and subtropical climates, the eggplant can be sown directly into the garden. Eggplant grown in temperate climates fares better when transplanted into the garden after all danger of frost is past. Seeds are typically started eight to ten weeks prior to the anticipated frost-free date.
Many pests and diseases which afflict other solanaceous vegetables, such as tomato, pepper (capsicum), and potato, are also troublesome to eggplants. For this reason, it should not be planted in areas previously occupied by its close relatives. Four years should separate successive crops of eggplants. Common North American pests include the potato beetle, flea beetle, aphids and spider mites. Many of these can be controlled using Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), a bacterium that attacks the soft-bodied larvae. (Adults can be removed by hand, though flea beetles can be especially difficult to control.) Good sanitation and crop-rotation practices are extremely important for controlling fungal disease, the most serious of which is Verticillium.
Spacing should be 45 cm (18 in) to 60 cm (24 in) between plants, depending on cultivar, and 60 cm to 90 cm (24 to 36 in) between rows, depending on the type of cultivation equipment being used. Mulching will help conserve moisture and prevent weeds and fungal diseases. The flowers are relatively unattractive to bees and the first blossoms often do not set fruit. Hand pollination will improve the set of the first blossoms. Fruits are typically cut from the vine just above the calyx owing to the semi-woody stems.
Statistics
According to the USDA, production of eggplant is highly concentrated, with 93 percent of output coming from seven countries. China is the top producer(55% of world output) and India is second (28%); Egypt, Turkey, and Japan round out the top producing nations. United States is the 20th largest producer. More than 4 million acres (16,000 km²) are devoted to the cultivation of eggplant in the world.[5]
| Top Ten Eggplant Producers — 2005 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country | Production (Int $1000) | Footnote | Production (MT) | Footnote |
 People's Republic of China |
2,734,280 | C | 17,030,300 | F |
 India |
1,318,888 | C | 8,200,000 | F |
 Egypt |
160,840 | C | 1,000,000 | F |
 Turkey |
141,539 | C | 880,000 | |
 Japan |
63,532 | C | 395,000 | F |
 Italy |
60,095 | C | 373,635 | |
 Indonesia |
40,566 | C | 252,216 | |
 Sudan |
36,993 | C | 230,000 | F |
 Philippines |
29,273 | C | 182,000 | F |
 Syria |
21,231 | C | 132,000 | F |
| No symbol = official figure,F = FAO estimate, * = Unofficial figure, C = Calculated figure; Production in Int $1000 have been calculated based on 1999-2001 international prices | ||||
Health properties
| Eggplant, raw Nutritional value per 100 g | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Energy 20 kcal 100 kJ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient database | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Studies of the Institute of Biology of São Paulo State University, Brazil (Instituto de Biociências of the UNESP de Botucatu, São Paulo) showed that eggplant is effective in the treatment of high blood cholesterol hypercholesterolemia.
It can block the formation of free radicals, help control cholesterol levels and is also a source of folic acid and potassium.[6]
Eggplant is richer in nicotine than any other edible plant, with a concentration of 100 ng/g (or 0.01mg/100g). However, the amount of nicotine from eggplant or any other food is negligible compared to passive smoking.[7]
See also
- Solanum gilo
- Eggplant salad
- Baba ghanoush
- Salată de vinete (Romanian cuisine)
- Escalivada (Catalan cuisine)
- Musakka (Turkish cuisine)
- Mutabbel (Lebanese cuisine)
- Thai eggplant
Image gallery
Matti Gulla
Japanese eggplant
Japanese eggplant flower
fruit
Purple eggplants
The flowers of the Thai eggplant
The fruit of the Thai eggplant. The white residue on the leaves is common.
A long slender eggplant.
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ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- ↑ Tsao and Lo in "Vegetables: Types and Biology". Handbook of Food Science, Technology, and Engineering by Yiu H. Hui (2006). CRC Press. ISBN 1574445510.
- ↑ Doijode, S. D. (2001). Seed storage of horticultural crops (pp 157). Haworth Press: ISBN 1560229012
- ↑ Fuchsia Dunlop. Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook: Recipes from Hunan Province. Ebury Press, 2006.
- ↑ Childers, N.F. (PhD) & Margoles, M.S. (MD). (1993). An apparent relation of nightshades (Solanaceae) to arthritis. Journal of Neurological and Orthopedic Medical Surgery. 12: 227-231. (article provided on-line by the Arthritis Nightshades Research Foundation | http://www.noarthritis.com/research.htm
- ↑ Vegetables and Melons Outlook/VGS-318 (PDF). Economic Research Service pp. 23. USDA (2006-12-14). Retrieved 2007-04-24.
- ↑ Health24.com - Aubergine
- ↑ Edward F. Domino, Erich Hornbach, Tsenge Demana, The Nicotine Content of Common Vegetables, The New England Journal of Medicine, Volume 329:437 August 5, 1993 Number 6
External links
- Aubergine: Plants for a Future database
- Solanum melongena L. on Solanaceae Source - Images, specimens and a full list of scientific synonyms previously used to refer to the eggplant.
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