Thursday, September 30, 2010

Why are they called "eggplants", anyways?

When I first went vegan, I was pretty sure eggplant was gross.  I rarely ate it.

When I moved to Australia, we gave eggplant another shot, finding it a wonderful addition to tomato sauce on pasta.  That remained our standard use for eggplant.

Last year I branched out into Eggplant Bharta, cooking the purple vegetable down in oil and curry paste until it was mushy-delicious.

We occasionally tried eggplant in other ways, but mainly stuck to our eggplant routines.  But this year we have really discovered how wonderful eggplants can be.


Crumbed and fried eggplant schnitzels are a bit junky (especially served with chips) but still a vegetable and thus, reasonably healthy.

Sprinkled with dukkah and baked, eggplant goes flavourful and melty, almost the texture of melted cheese.  It is beautiful and low in fat, served here with garlic toast and 'balsamic roasted veggies' from the Urban Vegan cookbook.

It also makes a great addition to pie, combined here with seitan and gravy and wrapped up in flaky puff pastry.


We tried growing an eggplant once, and it went really well, got loads of flowers, but never set into fruit.  Maybe we'll have to try again, because lately we are loving eggplant.

10 comments:

Hannah said...

What are you trying to do, Theresa?! Confuse my brain and make me unable to understand why I think I don't like eggplant?

If so, it worked.

Mmmm...

LittleHouseofVeggies said...

I love love love eggplants! They are one of my favorite things for sure! I think people either love them or hate them though, but I think they add such great substance to a veggie meal!

Dee said...

That reminds me, get a new eggplant. My last bush produced dozens of fruit over tow tears. They really do well in Townsville so try again. My neighbours have white ones that go on and on, I may ask for a fruit and try the seeds.

I love
http://www.africa.upenn.edu/Cookbook/Morocco.html#BATINJAAN ZALUD

It has too much olive oil, but we can afford it! I turn it upside down by placing the eggplant on a small slice of roma tomato, then topping with the seedless kalamata.

BEST . Appetizer . EVER and very elegant as a finger food.

Dee said...

I meant two years, the sun is going down and I am typing in the dark here...

Anonymous said...

They're called eggplant cause you get varieties that look like eggs!

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_lSRcr1adRKs/SaySrCSlOmI/AAAAAAAAVYI/o_dXBGRfPhA/African_garden_eggs.JPG

Love aubergines, but really annoyed cause I'm becoming allergic to them, whenever I have some I get an itchy throat and afterwards "digestive issues" :) :( Boo!

Anonymous said...

Sorry, that url's a bit too long.. try again

http://preview.tinyurl.com/38jlk7j

Claire said...

Oooooh that pie looks so yummy

Vegan ninja said...

I am scared of eggplants, they can be bitter as hell, but despite that I like them a lot. Do you know any tricks on how to keep the bitterness at bay? It would be very helpful, increasing my consumption of eggplants. On another note I am starting a blog and would like to link to your blog, hope you dont mind. I think your blog is fantastic and eventhough my blog is in spanish I think people would appreciate the link.

Vaala ◪ said...

I don't know why but I'm still scared of cooking eggplant! I mean, I know I like it so that's not a problem but every time I see it at the veggie store I kind of panic and pass it by!

Unknown said...

i've always been on the fence with eggplants too, for a while I wouldn't even go near them, but now I'm slowly weening them in and seeing that they're actually pretty good!! I love all your recipes you used eggplants in though! :)