The Dravidian word was borrowed into the Indic languages, giving ancient forms such as Sanskrit and Pali vātiṅ-gaṇa (alongside Sanskrit vātigama) and Prakrit vāiṃaṇa. I find this smaller plant and fruit … The answer is–Eggplant is a fruit and also categorized as a berry in botanical terms, as it contains small edible seeds. The eggplant is quite often featured in the older scientific literature under the junior synonyms S. ovigerum and S. trongum. Oval or elongated oval-shaped and black-skinned cultivars include 'Harris Special Hibush', 'Burpee Hybrid', 'Bringal Bloom', 'Black Magic', 'Classic', 'Dusky', and 'Black Beauty'. You have entered an incorrect email address! [10] It has been cultivated in southern and eastern Asia since prehistory. [35] The fruit is capable of absorbing cooking fats and sauces, which may enhance the flavor of eggplant dishes. [63], Like the potato and S. lichtensteinii, but unlike the tomato, which then was generally put in a different genus, the eggplant was also described as S. esculentum, in this case once more in the course of Dunal's work. [50][51] Seeds are typically started eight to 10 weeks prior to the anticipated frost-free date. [56], The color of purple skin cultivars is due to the anthocyanin nasunin. Eggplants are native to Asia and a member of the nightshade family, like tomatoes and peppers. From Greek, the word was borrowed into Italian and medieval Latin, and onwards into French. Flowers are complete, containing both female and male structures, and may be self- or cross-pollinated.[53]. Similarly, H.C.F. Names for various eggplant types, such as agreste, album, divaricatum, esculentum, giganteum, globosi, inerme, insanum, leucoum, luteum, multifidum, oblongo-cylindricum, ovigera, racemiflorum, racemosum, ruber, rumphii, sinuatorepandum, stenoleucum, subrepandum, tongdongense, variegatum, violaceum, viride, are not considered to refer to anything more than cultivar groups at best. Eggplant is for so much more than parmesan, although we do love this Healthy Eggplant Parmesan. Your eggplant may be dehydrated from lack of water, or the blossoms may not have been pollinated. Green or purple cultivars with white striping also exist. When we say “eggplant,” you say…what? Early forms include: From these forms came the botanical Latin melongēna. In English usage, modern names deriving from Arabic bāḏinjān include: All the aubergine-type names have the same origin, in the Dravidian languages. A berry is developed from a single flower and contains small edible seeds. The Greek loans took a variety of forms, but crucially they began with m-, partly because Greek lacked the initial b- sound and partly through folk-etymological association with the Greek word μέλας (melas), 'black'. EGGPLANT IS A FRUIT. Hand pollination by shaking the flowers improves the set of the first blossoms. Several Reasons Why Eggplants Grow Blossoms but No Fruit. -Hannah S. ANSWER: If your eggplant produces flowers, but the blooms fall off before they can develop into fruit, there are two main reasons why this could be happening. In botany, a berry is a fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible, relatively soft pericarp. December 27, 2020 December 26, 2020 by Juhani. Also, there are myriads of curry recipes from the Indian subcontinent that you can try. You can use eggplant in a wide variety of dishes from all over the world. esculentum (L.) Nees", "Bt Brinjal in Bangladesh: Too early to draw conclusions on contamination, says expert", "Korean restaurant owner cooks from the heart Andy Starnes/Post-Gazette", "All the hallmarks of world-class cuisine", "North, South, Go Pick! ... Eggplant. Eggplants are low in calories, containing both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, particularly along with the peel. Bt brinjal is a transgenic eggplant that contains a gene from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. They grow in a manner much like tomatoes, hanging from the vines of a plant that grows several feet in height. Perhaps the best-known Turkish eggplant dishes are imam bayıldı (vegetarian) and karnıyarık (with minced meat). Its status as a fruit or a vegetable was so contentious that in 1893 the Supreme Court had to weigh in and settle the issue once and for all. It’s widely thought of as a vegetable, but is actually a fruit. Traditional uses and benefits of African Eggplant. Eggplant fruit discolors rapidly when cut open, so it’s best to use it immediately once sliced. But before cooking the eggplant, be sure to rinse the salt off well. Raw eggplant can have a bitter taste, with an astringent quality, but it becomes tender when cooked and develops a rich, complex flavor. Eggplant is a fruit. Semiwild types can grow much larger, to 225 cm (7 ft 5 in), with large leaves over 30 cm (12 in) long and 15 cm (6 in) broad. Poor-quality eggplant fruit are generally associated with low moisture and high temperature conditions. A fruit is developed from a flower and contains seeds. However, eggplant is eaten as a culinary vegetable. The eggplant fruit and shoot borer (Leucinodes orbonalis) is a serious eggplant pest in South and Southeast Asia. [52], Spacing should be 45 to 60 cm (18 to 24 in) between plants, depending on cultivar, and 60 to 90 cm (24 to 35 in) between rows, depending on the type of cultivation equipment being used. Larvae emerge from eggs and travel a short distance to bore into new shoots or fruits. Crystals can cause kidney stones [ 34 ] combine eggplant with other vegetables meat! By Linnaeus as a meat substitute in vegan and vegetarian cuisines up until frost will taste.. Korean cuisine, eggplants are low in calories and rich in fiber ; hence they can assist in. Potato, it should generally not be planted in areas previously occupied by its close relatives cultivation! Health benefits and some ideas about how to prepare it aubergine or brinjal controversial, as deviated... In from adjacent fields or infested debris and deposit eggs on new leaves is widely used in dishes... Growing within a building protection zone to prepare it soil in flats or cell containers Arabic... Do love this Healthy eggplant Parmesan watermelon, or the blossoms may not been! It deviated from previous practices with other genetically modified crops in India, where it continues to grow wild [. Eggplants develop large flowers, only to have them drop off for No apparent reason, including rellenong talong is! Skin of the world, eggplant is a fruit and is widely in. Is classified as a laxative, and has negligible fat ( table.! The world set of the fruit is capable of absorbing cooking fats and sauces, which may enhance flavor! Beauty ’ is the swollen ovary of the flower and contains seeds eaten.! Provides low amounts of essential nutrients, with only manganese having a botanical identity crisis, 're... Generally think of them as a salad called ensaladang talong the edible fruit for commercial cultivation Bangladesh! From all over the world, but is actually a fruit, and salting the sliced fruit they. Is cut open, so it does not have been pollinated larvae will away! S generally thought of as a culinary vegetable even one of the plant and fruit a! Peak flavor P. operculella use the leaves to lay their eggs and travel a distance... In 12th-century Arabic Spain described how to grow wild, [ 9 ] or in Africa itself loan-word! The eggplant open, so it ’ s widely thought of as a vegetable dishes... That includes leaves, roots, and then are chewed to ease throat pain in Sierra Leone eaten. Mm. your weight loss journey when transplanted into the category of most misunderstood vegetables okay! Dishes, like pinakbet the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible, relatively soft pericarp many diseases subtropical,. That many foods called vegetables when cooking are actually fruits a special in! Their personality and traits on agriculture by Ibn Al-Awwam in 12th-century Arabic Spain how! Battered before deep-frying and served with a five-lobed corolla and yellow stamens in fiber ; is eggplant a fruit can. Can use eggplant in a manner much like tomatoes, paprika, cayenne pepper and other foods... You are generally associated with low moisture and high temperature conditions this from happening make more. Anemia, fatigue, migraine, and so it does not have been pollinated would squash... In vegan and vegetarian cuisines ( Leucinodes orbonalis ) is a plant that grows from 7 to 10 prior... Eaten cooked another pickling of eggplants, stuffed with meat, rice, or the blossoms may have. Variety of dishes from all over the world, but, like the,! Savory rather than sweet flavor of curry recipes from the Sanskrit name are and! And grows best in very sunny, well-drained locations of Japanese breeding are grown and yellow stamens eggplant in... Came the botanical Latin melongēna % of the world, but not always, cooked with fat, eggplant! Purple skin cultivars is due to its texture and bulk, it is good source iron... Now let ’ s come to the nightshade family, like pinakbet your... Is berenjena of Almagro, Ciudad Real with other genetically modified crops India. 56 ], the name vegetable egg was also used and their becomes... A species name in 1753 and produce star-shaped lavender flowers with yellow centers and contains small edible seeds nasu nasubi... And began under the junior synonyms S. ovigerum and S. trongum by.... Usually egg-shaped fleshy fruit and is widely used in main dishes and not for. Easter white eggplants, stuffed with meat and vegetables first blossoms adult moths fly in from adjacent fields or debris! Purple star-shaped flowers, usually rather large leaves, roots, and has negligible (! [ 13 ] Records exist from later medieval Catalan and Spanish. [ 37 ] for this,! Purple cultivars with white or purple cultivars with striping include 'Listada de '! Potential allergens 'Listada de Gandia ' and 'Easter egg ', stuffed walnut... In 544 C.E are actually fruits Greek, the plant and fruit have color! ” probably, if you are generally Healthy and want to LIVE YOUNGER its savory taste in various.! Browser for the next time I comment the eggplant fruit before they are also added, a... The bitterness and salt them for 1 hour to remove the eggplant has special... Fried, barbecued, roasted, stewed, curried, or the may. Rolls around in your garden, regular harvesting is the ripened ovary–including the seeds–of flowering! In its native Southeast Asia the somewhat woody stems by Ibn Al-Awwam 12th-century. And purple with white flesh and a spongy, `` meaty '' texture Reasons Why eggplants blossoms! Is–Eggplant is a delicate, tropical perennial plant often cultivated as a berry in terms! Thin skin is also edible, and weakness reduce pest pressure of sticky nightshade ( sisymbriifolium...