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Aubergine
Aubergine

Aubergine

The Eggfruit
Systematics
Scientific name: Solanum melongena
German name: Aubergine
Other names: Eggplant, Brinjal, Berenjena, Eggplant, Patlican, Melanzana
Classification: Solanales
Family: Solanaceae
Subfamily: Leptostemonum
Genus: Solanum
Season: May - September
  • Water 92,8%
  • Carbohydrates 6%
  • Proteins 1%
  • Fats 0,2%

Not an egg

The majority of people would probably spontaneously classify aubergines in the vegetable category. It is only when you take a close botanical look that you notice that the bell-shaped plant is not a real vegetable. Fruit is a superordinate term for fruits and seeds, which develop from the blooms of perennial plants. The vegetables category includes edible plant parts, i.e. leaves, stems, roots, etc. of plants that only fructify once in their plant life. Aubergines, as well as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, legumes, okra pods and courgettes cannot be assigned to this definition. Botany has therefore made itself simple here and the additional category fruit vegetables was simply introduced for these varieties.

Nutrition information

Quantity per 100 grams

Calories 25
Fat content 0,2 g
Saturated fatty acids 0 g
Polyunsaturated fatty acids 0,1 g
Monounsaturated fatty acids 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 2 mg
Potassium 229 mg
Carbohydrates 6 g
Roughage 3 g
Sugar 3,5 g
Protein 1 g

Origin & Provenance

Health

Preparation

Storage

Origin & Provenance

Aubergines are native to Asia, where they were already mentioned as "Brinjal" in the Sanskrit scriptures in the 5th - 4th century BC. Since the aubergine originally had a yellow or white skin and was only egg-sized, it was and is still called "egg fruit" today. The Arabs brought the eggplant to Europe as early as the 13th century, but it was not cultivated there until 1550 by the Italians. Today one finds the most notable cultivation-areas of the froste-sensitive nightshade-plant in Egypt, Africa, France, Iraq, Israel, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Canaries, Spain and Romania.

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Health

The consumption of aubergines promotes bile secretion and lowers cholesterol levels. Aubergine can also provide relief for ailments such as rheumatism, metabolic, sciatic, liver and kidney problems.

An unusual but helpful method of getting rid of warts is to place slices of aubergine on the wart several times a day for at least a week and tape it off with a plaster.

Preparation

Aubergines are not suitable for raw consumption because they have a sticky consistency and a lot of bitter substances that make them inedible. Only after heating does it lose these disturbing flavourings and unfold its aroma. Aubergines are used in many traditional dishes such as ratatoullie (France) or the Greek moussaka.

During preparation, it is important to cover the slices with salt and lemon juice before use and let them steep for about an hour. In this way, the bitter taste is reduced and the spongy flesh becomes firmer due to moisture removal. However, the skin can be eaten with the fruit without any problems and also contains important nutrients.

Storage

The water- and pressure-sensitive aubergines should be stored in low light and cool. However, the storage temperature should not fall below 5 degrees. They should also not be stored together with apples, avocados, bananas, citrus fruits and tomatoes as these reduce the shelf life of the eggplant. Also no cabbage should be stored nearby, because the aubergine quickly takes over the aroma of cabbage-like plants.

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