Eggplant “Unagi”: Easy Recipe! - The Woks of Life (2024)

FAQs

Do you need to soak eggplant before cooking? ›

I tend to soak the slices in a bowl of water with a couple of tablespoon of salt for about 30-45 minutes. It doesn't have to do with bitterness, but I find that in doing this, the fried eggplant turns out less greasy," Jenkins says.

Chinese and Japanese eggplant are similar to each other in size and shape, which is to say that they are long and slender. The difference is that Chinese are lighter purple, and Japanese are a dark purple like the American eggplant.

What's the difference between eggplant and Chinese eggplant? Chinese eggplants have fewer seeds than globes, which reduces their bitterness. And they have a thin skin. While they can be substituted for each other, globes may be less sweet, influencing the outcome of the final dish.

Yes, the skin of Chinese eggplant is tender and entirely edible. Unlike the thicker skin of some Western eggplants, Chinese eggplant's skin cooks down to a soft texture, so there's no need to peel it. It also adds color and additional nutrients to the dish.

Eggplants are known to absorb a lot of fat while cooking. A useful tip to prevent sogginess and greasiness is to salt sliced or diced eggplant and let it sit for an hour. This helps to draw out moisture. Next, rinse and drain any liquid from the sliced eggplant, then pat dry before cooking.

Older recipes call for salting eggplant to draw out the bitter juices, but today's eggplants are less bitter (unless very large), so salting is largely unnecessary. It will, however, help the spongy flesh absorb less oil and crisp up like a dream.

Preparing the Japanese Eggplant:

If desired, you can also peel the skin, although it is perfectly edible and adds to the texture and flavor.

While the skin of a small young eggplant is edible, the skin becomes bitter on larger or older eggplants and should be peeled. When in doubt, the answer to, "Do you peel eggplant before cooking?" is yes, peel it. Use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to remove the skin.

Eggplants are one of the most delicious and versatile ingredients you can cook with. They can be fried, baked, pickled, stewed, pureed, and even stuffed. And just like tomatoes (also a fruit!), eggplants are part of the nightshade family.

Well, way back in the 1700s, early European versions of eggplant were smaller and yellow or white. They looked like goose or chicken eggs, which led to the name “eggplant.” The eggplant has been around for a long, long time.

What are baby eggplants called? ›

Indian Eggplant

Also called baby eggplant, this variety is small and squat with a dark reddish-purple color. You can use it in an Indian preparation like a curry, but it's also great roasted or stuffed. Get a Recipe: Stuffed Eggplants with Herbed Bulgur.

If this color is appearing on your larger eggplants, but sparing the smaller ones, try harvesting the fruits earlier. Another common cause of yellowing of eggplants is sunburn, which happens when leaves are damaged or removed, exposing the skin of tender, young fruits to excessive ultraviolet radiation.

If you're not eating raw eggplant, it is worth a try—just avoid those eggplant leaves and flowers as they can be toxic.

No, raw eggplants are not poisonous. The plant's leaves and blossoms, however, can be poisonous. The nightshade family of plants, including eggplants, potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, and tomatillos, contains an alkaloid called solanine, which can be toxic in high concentrations.

Answer. Eggplant flesh will have tan to brown colored spots around the seeds. If this is the color you are referring to, it is edible. If the flesh is more brown than white, the eggplant may be spoiling and should be discarded.

Soaking eggplant in water and vinegar helps remove some of the vegetable's natural bitterness.

While the skin of a small young eggplant is edible, the skin becomes bitter on larger or older eggplants and should be peeled. When in doubt, the answer to, "Do you peel eggplant before cooking?" is yes, peel it. Use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to remove the skin.

Before hitting the stovetop, give cubed and sliced eggplant pieces a spin in the microwave. Pre-cooking the eggplant (in a single layer, on a paper towel-lined plate) for about five minutes helps collapse the spongey structure, which will prevent it from absorbing quite so much oil.