Szechuan Eggplant Recipe, Sichuan Eggplant Step by Step - Edible Garden (2024)

FAQs

Do you eat the skin of Chinese eggplant? ›

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.

Do you need to salt Chinese eggplant? Nope! Because they have fewer seeds, Chinese eggplants are less bitter than globes and do not need to be salted. Salt is used to draw out bitterness, but this variety is naturally sweet.

When looking at the exterior of the eggplant, check the stem and cap. Both should be green and fresh-looking. If they are starting to fade in color, that's an indicator that the vegetable may be spoiling. You'll also want to toss the eggplant if there is any mold on the stem or cap.

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.

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.

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.

Once upon a time, eggplants tasted incredibly bitter, and salting them before cooking helped to draw out and eliminate some of that astringency.

Eggplants prefer cool, dark environments, like a pantry or wine cooler, and their optimum storage temperature is around 50 degrees F. Eggplant will last between five and seven days in the refrigerator as long as the skin hasn't been removed or damaged.

Why do you soak eggplant in water and vinegar? Soaking eggplant in water and vinegar helps remove some of the vegetable's natural bitterness. This step also helps preserve some of the skin's color so it stays a vibrant purple even after cooking.

Can You Eat Eggplant Raw? Luckily, the answer is yes! While the leaves and flowers can be toxic, the eggplant itself is safe to consume both raw and cooked, and the compound that some might be sensitive to, solanine, is only toxic when consumed in large quantities.

What is the best tasting eggplant? ›

Rosa Bianca

This Italian heirloom eggplant has a creamy, ivory-colored flesh with a delicate flavor that is less bitter than some other eggplant varieties. The Rosa Bianca eggplant can be used in many ways, including grilling, roasting, and sautéing.

In most recipes, the different types of eggplant are interchangeable. If you would like to serve a more delicate eggplant than the common type, use the mild-flavored, excellent Chinese and Japanese varieties. Some cooks are concerned that their eggplant might be bitter.

More slender than the common globe variety, Japanese eggplant has purple skin that can be light or dark, which can be left on for cooking.

Findings of animal studies suggest that nasunin, an anthocyanin in eggplant skin, may help protect brain cell membranes from damage caused by free radicals. Nasunin also helps transport nutrients into cells and move waste out. Anthocyanins also help prevent neuroinflammation and facilitate blood flow to the brain.

If it's an extra-large eggplant, the vegetable could be older and the skin tougher, therefore, it's a smart idea to peel it. But small, young eggplant have thin, tender skins that add great texture to the vegetable when cooked.