Melanzani

Eggplants are native to tropical East India. Like tomatoes, they belong to the nightshade family. Eggplants usually have a pear shape and a dark purple color. The vegetable loves warm temperatures.

Usage

Fresh eggplants have firm, shiny skin and a green stem. Small fruits with a diameter of 5 – 8 cm taste best, large ones are more tart. Eggplants are just as good for stewing as they are for steaming, roasting or grilling. The slightly bitter taste of eggplants is often perceived as unpleasant. To reduce it, sprinkle eggplants with salt and thus bind the bitter substances. To do this, first wash the vegetables thoroughly under running water and cut them lengthwise into not too thin slices, the eggplants are not peeled. Now sprinkle the slices with salt on each side, place them on a wire rack and let them rest for about 10 – 15 minutes. Then rinse the slices under running, cold water and dry them carefully with kitchen paper. For some dishes it is also sufficient to salt the eggplants or boil them in salt water. Eggplants are not suitable for raw consumption.

Storage

Eggplants should be stored in a dark and cool place. However, they should not be stored below 5 degrees, so eggplants can be kept fresh for up to 2 weeks. Basically, eggplants should not be stored in the refrigerator.

Storage recommendation

Eggplants are one of the cold-sensitive vegetables and should therefore not be stored in the refrigerator.