Eggplant

A low-calorie vegetable that goes well with fats!
Nutrient-rich skin

Eggplant skin contains a huge amount of antioxidants (phenolic acids and anthocyanins), especially in darker varieties — purple eggplants contain more than white varieties.

Gentle fiber

The fiber in eggplants is mainly composed of pectin, meaning that eggplants are easy to digest, gently ensuring good digestive health.

Eggplants also contain:

• Copper
• Vitamin B1
• Vitamin B6

Vegetable patch
or urban balcony?

Eggplants are an annual plant that grows best in humus-rich soil in sunny conditions with lots of water.
To learn everything you need to know about growing eggplants, read the page on growing advice.

How to prepare eggplants:

Antioxidants aren’t the only reason not to peel eggplants. The skin adds color to dishes and limits the amount of oil or butter absorbed by the flesh, preserving its flavor.

If you really don’t like the skin, it’s easier to peel after cooking!

Three ‘anti-sponge effect’ tips: Aside from using a lot of salt, you can also poach the eggplants in salted boiling water first, or dab each side with oil/butter before cooking.

Sprinkle the flesh with lemon juice when dicing or slicing the eggplants into rounds to prevent the flesh from turning brown.

Use the following timings to cook the perfect eggplant:

• 10 mins : In the frying pan or wok
• 5 mins : Under the grill or on the barbecue in thin slices
• 40 mins : In the oven
• 1 hour: Simmered in a pot with tomatoes, peppers, and zucchini for a perfect, meltingly-soft dish
• Avoid steaming or microwaving, as these methods are not suitable for cooking eggplant

Eggplants go well with:

Eggplants go well with other vegetables, especially summer vegetables like tomatoes, zucchini, and peppers, etc.

The rather mild flavor of eggplants complements stronger (often oily) flavors: Spices (paprika, pepper, chorizo, etc.), and also cheese, meats, (lamb, beef) and fish (anchovies).

Classic dishes? Ratatouille, eggplant caviar, moussaka, and baba ganoush.

Can everyone
eat it?

Young children

Eggplants can be eaten from the age of six months (as a purée).

Avoid steaming and chopping into large cubes as this results in a spongy texture that doesn’t appeal to children.

Serve eggplants to children as a purée as a gentle introduction to its taste. It can also be served as a caviar on bread, for a more filling dish that can be eaten without cutlery. A winning combination to get children to like vegetables!

And for others

This advice is suitable for children, adults, and older people. For older people especially, eggplants are good for hydration because of their high water content.

You can find lots of other tips for getting children to eat vegetables