Eggplant: Health Benefits

Spicy and tender eggplants are widely used in cooking. They are stewed, fried, stuffed, caviar is made from them, chips are made and marinated. In addition to excellent taste, the fruit is very healthy. It is almost always used in diet menus, normalizes metabolism and digestion, is indicated for people with diseases of the vascular system and even helps to quit smoking, moreover in a comfortable way.

What is the difference between eggplant and zucchini

Often, eggplant can be confused with zucchini, especially young ones or varieties with a green peel. The fruits are quite similar in appearance, except for the color and texture of the skin. In a culinary sense, these vegetables are used in similar recipes, and the reasonable question arises - is it possible to replace them?

Externally, the eggplant has a smooth peel, often dark in color. However, unripe or special varieties can have a green, but always smooth peel. In the context, the fruit has a light flesh with many randomly arranged small bones.

Zucchini is elongated, they are always green and have a special skin texture, just hold your finger to feel a lot of microvilli. The pulp layer is uniform under the skin, and seeds are grouped in the center of the fruit. They are easy to remove if necessary.

Both vegetables are actively used in the kitchen, sometimes even together or in similar recipes. However, they have a different composition and useful properties, differ in taste and aroma. So, eggplant has a lot of potassium, silicon, phosphorus, vitamins B5, B6, B9 and PP. There is a special substance - nasunin, which protects cells from destruction and is especially useful for the brain. Zucchini contains a little less potassium, but it contains a lot of magnesium, cobalt, iron and manganese, for vitamins - mainly B1, B2, B4, phylloquinone and C.

Composition and calorie content

Eggplant is an extremely healthy vegetable that contains B vitamins, macro- and microelements necessary for the body. The weighty nicotine content will help people who want to quit smoking. The very low calorie content, coupled with the ease of the product for the digestive system, makes eggplant recommended for use with any, even the most stringent diets. 100 g of the fetus contains:

• only 24 kcal, this is about 1% of the daily recommended level;
• carbohydrates - 4.5 g;
• fats - 0.1 g;
• proteins - 1.2 g;
• organic acids - 0.2 g;
• ash - 0.5 g;
• water - 91 g;
• fiber - 2.5 g.

The fruit is saturated with vitamins, macro- and microelements. By the way, most substances, with the exception of ascorbic acid, slowly decompose during heat treatment. Eggplant loses very few nutrients even with prolonged stewing. Total fresh fruit per 100 g contains:

• vitamin PP - 0.8 mg or 4% of the daily intake;
• pyridoxine B6 - 0.15 mg or 8% of the daily requirement;
• vitamin B5 - 0.28 mg or 6% of the recommended norm;
• phylloquinone K - 3.5 μg or 3% of the daily norm;
• ascorbic acid - 5 mg;
• folate B9 - 18.5 mg or 5% of the need;
• potassium - 238 mg or 10% of the recommended daily intake;
• silicon - 29 mg, full daily rate;
• phosphorus - 34 mg or 5% of the daily norm;
• copper - 135 mcg or 13.5% of the required consumption;
• molybdenum - 10 mcg or 15% of the recommended level;
• manganese - 210 mcg or 10% of the daily norm;
• cobalt - 1 mcg or 10% of the body's needs.

What are eggplants useful for?

General benefit

Saturated with vitamins and minerals, fruits are included in almost every diet. They saturate the body with useful substances, satisfy hunger, are easily digested and at the same time practically do not contain calories.

The presence of nasunin in the skin of the fetus has a beneficial effect on the functioning of cells, especially the brain. Great research is now underway to reduce the occurrence of Alzheimer's with regular intake of nasunin into the body. The complex of minerals and vitamins strengthens blood vessels, a slight decrease in the number of low density lipoproteins (or bad cholesterol) with the systematic use of eggplant in food is also noted.

Light food, rich in fiber, stimulates the proper functioning of the intestines, normalizes digestion. Chlorogenic acid and polyphenols show good results in slowing the spread of free radicals in the body.

For women

It is recommended to include stewed or boiled eggplant in the diet. They stimulate metabolic processes in the body, establish the intestines. The fetus is especially useful during strict diets, it will not affect the figure in any way, but it will eliminate the risk of getting anemia and even relieve chronic fatigue syndrome.

For men

From ancient times, eggplant was used as a light aphrodisiac. It strengthens masculine strength, raises attraction and general tone. The most effective eggplant caviar, with the mandatory addition of tomatoes, ginger and chili.

The presence of natural nicotinic acid can alleviate the suffering of quitting smoking. Eggplant will replace the substances necessary for the body, it remains only to overcome the psychological habit.

During pregnancy

Eggplant will fit perfectly into the diet of a pregnant woman. It is a lightweight product that stimulates proper digestion. However, this is only a recommended vegetable; it does not have particularly beneficial properties for a pregnant woman. Although a large amount of potassium, coupled with another dish rich in calcium, will significantly help in the development of the fetus.

For pregnant women, it is recommended to use stewed or steamed eggplant, solid and young, with a minimum content of solanine. It can significantly worsen the condition, especially against toxicosis.

When breastfeeding

It is recommended to include eggplant in the diet of a nursing mother, and at least twice a week. Metabolism, digestion improves, a very mild and comfortable laxative effect appears.

A nursing mother will receive important B vitamins, a lot of potassium, and with a light product that will not cause problems. However, it is important to choose young and solid fruits, otherwise large doses of solanine can cause severe toxicosis up to a short termination of lactation.

For kids

Steamed eggplant in another dish (total single dose up to 30 g) can be given to children from 8 months. The fetus can easily be digested even by the children's digestive system, which is not fully formed, and at the same time it will gently stimulate it. From 1.5 years old, you can give eggplant as a separate dish in fried, stewed, canned or boiled form without any special restrictions.

When losing weight

Regular use of eggplant is recommended for diets aimed at weight loss. This is an extremely easy product for the digestive system, which has only 24 kcal, which is about 1% of the daily norm. Of course, there is no need to eat 10 kg of eggplant. However, regular inclusion of the vegetable as part of others or as an independent dish is necessary. Recommended weekly rate - up to 6 servings.

Eggplant in medicine

Various varieties have been actively studied for use in medicine or medicine since the 19th century.However, official science now unequivocally recommends including eggplants in diets for various diseases. No therapeutic properties have been confirmed by studies.

Now the main directions are reduced to the isolation and use of nasunin, which protects cells from destruction. There is some justification that still requires evidence that regular intake of this substance reduces the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Another area of ​​study is the change in low-density lipoprotein levels against the background of regular consumption of products, including eggplant. Preliminary studies in a small sample yielded positive results, but the decrease itself is rather small - less than 5%.

With diabetes

Eggplant itself and products based on it are included in the diet of any type of diabetes patient. The glycemic index of 15 units allows you to eat the fetus with virtually no restrictions.

Group B vitamins, as well as potassium and phosphorus, are especially useful for patients with diabetes, as traditional treatment regimens are regulated by a strict diet. However, eggplant also has some additional limitations: it should not be used for diabetes and cholecystitis, exacerbation of pancreatitis, kidney stones and ulcers.

With pancreatitis

Eggplant is used in diets, however, the doctor determines the amount and dosage. This is an extremely serious disease that requires medical treatment and a strict diet. In acute pancreatitis, eggplant cannot be eaten. However, this is one of the easiest products for the body, so it is prescribed immediately after starvation. In chronic pancreatitis, you can eat stewed, boiled or steamed eggplant.

With gastritis

The product can be freely used for gastritis at any stage, but only after undergoing heat treatment. There are no substances and elements that can worsen the condition, lead to irritation or an ulcer. A fairly small amount of ascorbic acid is almost completely destroyed by stewing or cooking. Eggplant can be consumed up to 200 g per meal.

For the intestines

Eggplant has a very positive effect on the intestines. They are easy to digest and at the same time stimulate peristalsis. A large amount of fiber will relieve problems with going to the toilet. Among the contraindications are only an ulcer. The rest can be consumed up to 5 kg of fruits per week.

Useful vitamins and minerals in general have a beneficial effect on the whole body. The intestine receives the necessary trace elements that prevent the development of serious irregularities in work.

For constipation

Eggplants have no pronounced laxative effect. However, it is an extremely easy-to-digest product that has dietary fiber. The digestive system and intestines are stimulated. Everything starts to work, stagnant processes disappear. This leads to the normalization of trips to the toilet. Therefore, with chronic constipation, it is recommended to use eggplant as a very mild and delicate laxative. Moreover, it must be included in the diet at least 4 times a week.

With gout

The main problem of the disease is that purines accumulate in the body. The acid crystallizes on the surfaces of the joints and causes excruciating pain attacks. Eggplant does not have any substances that provoke the formation of purines. Regular ingestion stimulates the excretion of sodium urate - another problem element that leads to the crystallization of acids.

With colitis

Colitis is a serious disorder in the body and should be diagnosed. Initially, starvation or moderate inclusion of fast carbohydrates like honey is recommended. It is necessary to determine the type of violation and form a diet on its basis.

Eggplant, like any food, can lead to a severe complication of the condition with undiagnosed colitis.Subsequently, the doctor may include steamed or baked eggplant in the diet. Heat treatment is extremely important, it should be added to the recommended 10-15% more cooking time in the recipe.

For the liver

Eggplant is included in diets for liver diseases. They are extremely easy to digest and can replace more complex and heavier foods. This reduces the overall load on the body. The presence of copper, cobalt, manganese is necessary for the restoration of the liver. Eggplant is the easiest product that can provide these elements.

However, scientific studies have not confirmed hepatoprotective capabilities in any form of preparation. Now the product is considered exclusively as an auxiliary, but one of the main ones in diets for liver diseases.

With hemorrhoids

It was not possible to achieve a pronounced effect on hemorrhoids from an eggplant diet. However, this fruit is recommended for systematic use at least 4 times a week. The impact goes in two directions at once:

1. Normalization of the digestive tract, softening the stool and, as a result, less damage to the hemorrhoidal nodes.
2. General strengthening of the walls of blood vessels, including in the hemorrhoid, which reduces the number of ruptures and bleeding.

With cholecystitis

Dietetics prescribe to limit the intake of eggplant for cholecystitis. Usually, up to 1-2 meals per week are recommended, in total - less than 500 g of eggplant.

The problem lies in the weak choleretic effect, which will lead to stagnation and the formation of even larger stones. The disease requires diagnosis, and already on its basis a diet is prescribed that meets the specific state of the gallbladder, the nature of stagnant processes and the size of the stones.

Eggplant in cosmetology

Juice and pulp of the fetus contribute to the production of natural collagen, which allows you to make the skin supple, smooth micro wrinkles, and restore youth. It is on this property that the main use of eggplant in cosmetology is based.

1. Mask for problem skin. Grated eggplant without peel, pour boiling water and leave to insist in a closed bowl for 5-7 minutes, then drain the water. The mask uses gruel from the fetus. Dilute a tablespoon with low-fat sour cream to a thick mass. Cover the face with this mixture for 10-12 minutes, then rinse with cool water.
2. Wrinkle mask. Grind a small piece of eggplant without peel in a blender or on a fine grater, and then add a teaspoon of aloe juice. Let it brew for 5 minutes, and then apply this mixture to the face. Keep the mask for 15 minutes, then rinse with water. To achieve the effect, the procedure should be daily with one arbitrary day off per week.
3. Moisturizing anti-aging mask. Using a sharp knife or potato slicer, cut into thin strips of fruit without a peel. Put them on your face and cover with a gauze napkin. After 10 minutes, remove the eggplant strips and wash with mineral water or slightly warm milk.
4. A nourishing mask for all skin types. Grind eggplant without peel in mashed potatoes, 1.5 tablespoons are enough for a mask. Add 10 g of honey, a teaspoon of aloe gruel and 25 ml of hypericum decoction. Mix all. Part, about half, apply immediately to the face with a very thin layer. After 3-4 minutes, the skin absorbs this mask, and then apply the remaining mass. After 10 minutes, rinse off the residue with warm water.

Harm and contraindications

Eggplant is well digested by the body; a properly prepared dish does no harm. However, there are some limitations. You should refrain from drinking or consult a doctor:

• with colitis;
• cholecystitis;
• low levels of iron in the body;
• kidney stones;
• acute arthritis;
• allergies to nightshade.

Eggplant contains only one potentially dangerous substance - solanine. It is because of him that one cannot eat green potatoes. The highest content of this organic compound in soft, overripe fruits.Therefore, you should choose elastic and young eggplant. The remaining alkaloids and acids do not cause any harm to the human body. The fruit can even be eaten raw, but it is not very tasty in this form.

Is it possible to poison eggplant

Really earn only mild poisoning, which is characterized by headache, diarrhea, temporary disorientation, fever up to 38 degrees and nausea without vomiting. To do this, you will have to eat several kilograms of overripe eggplant with minimal heat treatment at a time. The longer the fruits are stewed, boiled or roasted, the less solanine remains there.

A lethal dose of 0.5 g / kg body is theoretically unattainable. Only cases of severe poisoning have been recorded with unripe berries of black nightshade, where the concentration of this alkaloid is three hundred times higher than in eggplant.

How to choose and store eggplant

The best fruits are only from the garden. Freshness is very important for eggplant, as over time, part of the nutrients are destroyed and the concentration of harmful solanine increases. Choosing a fresh and tasty fruit is quite simple, here are the basic rules:

1. Eggplant should have a green, not wrinkled stalk.
2. It is better to choose medium-sized fruits, they are most useful.
3. The skin should be smooth and plain or with a smooth transfusion of colors.
4. Always use a universal test - press on the fetus, if the dent remains fixed - it means the fetus is old, and it is not recommended to buy it.

Fresh fruits can lie in a cool place for up to a month. However, every day inside there will be processes that reduce the usefulness of the fetus and produce harmful solanine.

Eggplants can be dried well and can then be stored until the summer. However, the process will lead to a loss of appearance. It is no longer possible to serve a beautiful dish with even sliced ​​eggplant.

You can freeze both the vegetable itself after heat treatment, and the finished dish, for example, whole baked eggplant. They will retain taste and aroma for 5–7 months at a storage temperature of -18 degrees.

However, preservation is the best way to preserve eggplant until next summer. There are many methods - lecho, pickling, pickling, pickling.

Is it possible to freeze

Eggplants tolerate freezing well, but if you freeze the fruits fresh in closed containers, then over time the product will be bitter, and the consistency will become viscous, rubber. And no culinary tricks will not get rid of these troubles.

Only fruits that have undergone heat treatment can be frozen. Suitable for frying, stewing, blanching, baking. You can not bring it to readiness, for example, it is enough to fry the sliced ​​fruit until light golden for 2-3 minutes on each side, and when baking at 180 degrees, half an hour is enough.

The container is important: so that the eggplants do not deteriorate, they must be placed in special airtight containers or packages under the vacuum.

How to cook delicious eggplant: recipes

Eggplants are actively used in national cuisines; they are the basis for many culinary masterpieces. Cooking is sometimes quite simple, but it comes out very tasty and healthy. For example, you can quickly cook moussaka in Bulgarian. Aromatic fruits will be baked with minced meat, spices and cheese sauce. For cooking, you need such products:

• two medium eggplants;
• one tomato;
• two potatoes;
• chopped meat;
• one egg;
• a tablespoon of sour cream;
• hard cheese;
• dried basil;
• dill;
• allspice;
• salt.

Restaurant serving - in the form of rolls. To do this, finely chop the eggplant and salt for 10 minutes to leave the bitterness. Homemade serving is a bit like meat in French, it’s enough to just cut all the vegetables into circles, and remove the bitterness from the eggplant using salt.

Take a deep baking dish, lay out the sliced ​​potatoes down. He will take all the juices and become fantastically delicious.Further, there are differences in the preparation: for restaurant serving, it is necessary to roll the eggplant rolls with minced meat and put each on a slice of tomato, for home - just lay out the layers of tomatoes - minced meat - eggplant - minced meat - eggplant. Each layer a little pepper, salt and add a little spice.

Sprinkle a little oil, put in the oven at 180 degrees for 15 minutes. Beat sour cream with eggs, add the remaining spices and add to the already warmed dish, pour it on top. Bake another 40 minutes. Then sprinkle with cheese and put in the oven for 10 minutes. Fragrant, tasty, rich and nutritious moussaka is ready, you can sprinkle with herbs before serving.

Soup

Eggplant is an integral part of many recipes. However, their most taste is revealed in a simple and very tasty summer soup. This is a dish of Russian cuisine, which will require only the most affordable ingredients. Required Products:

• one medium eggplant;
• one tomato;
• one onion;
• two potatoes;
• one bell pepper, preferably red;
• a tablespoon of flour;
• green cilantro;
• hops-suneli;
• Bay leaf;
• a liter of water, and preferably chicken stock, can even be made from cubes;
• some vegetable oil;
• pepper and salt.

Cut eggplant in circles half a centimeter thick and roll in flour. Fry in vegetable oil on both sides until golden. Then put on a paper towel to remove excess oil.

Peel the tomato, just cut it crosswise and boil it in boiling water, then put it in cold water.

Put on the potatoes, chopped into small cubes, add bay leaf there. It is advisable to use chicken stock. Even out of the cube will come out much tastier than just on the water. Cook potatoes 5 minutes after boiling. During this time, cut the pepper into small cubes, and the onion into half rings, so it will not go into porridge with long cooking.

After 5 minutes, add onion and bell pepper to the potatoes, leaving the mass to simmer slowly for another 5 minutes, then send the sliced ​​tomatoes there. Grind the fried eggplant into slices preferred in the soup and transfer to the pan after 5 minutes.

Twenty minutes after the first boil, remove the bay leaf, add suneli hops, chopped cilantro, pepper, salt, you can squeeze a clove of garlic through a press. Warm the pan over high heat for literally a minute, cover and set aside for 15 minutes. Fragrant, very rich and delicious soup is ready to serve.

Salad

Baked or fried eggplant is an integral part of many salads. It gives them a special taste and richness, can replace meat, making the salad more dietary. To prepare a standard salad, you will need such products:

• one eggplant;
• one bell pepper;
• two tomatoes;
• olive oil;
• fresh cilantro;
• lettuce leaf;
• salt and seasoning.

Cut eggplant into circles or portioned cubes and fry in a pan until golden. Thin slices will last 2-3 minutes on each side, the cubes need a little more. Transfer to a paper towel, let them rest and give away the excess oil.

Cut tomatoes and peppers in portioned salad slices. Finely chop the cilantro. Add seasoning, ready-made collection of Italian herbs is well suited. Put cooled eggplants on a plate and mix everything thoroughly, add a few sheets of fresh salad on the side and serve.

Caviar

The most popular dish is eggplant caviar; it can even be found on store shelves. But the taste there leaves much to be desired, and why buy, if you can make it much more aromatic and interesting on your own. For the simplest recipe, these foods are enough:

• two eggplants;
• two tomatoes;
• bell pepper;
• four cloves of garlic;
• one onion, preferably red;
• cilantro;
• 100 ml of vegetable oil;
• salt.

Prepare whole vegetables and put on a baking sheet greased with vegetable oil. Eggplants are in one group, peppers and tomatoes aside. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and place vegetables there for 10 minutes.Remove the peppers and tomatoes, leaving the eggplants baked for another 15–20 minutes, depending on the size of the fruit.

Peppers open and remove seeds with a stalk, it is advisable to peel for absolute tenderness. Remove the peel from the tomatoes, especially since after baking it will leave itself.

Remove the finished eggplant from the oven, cut in half and a tablespoon to scrape the flesh. Much depends on the desired feed. The easiest way is to use a blender to grind, but then everything will turn into mashed potatoes. If you want a restaurant look, with a sharp knife you should chop tomatoes, peppers and onions. Eggplant pulp can be crushed with a crush or spoon. Add grated or crushed garlic, spices, oil residues and mix everything until smooth. After insisting and cooling for an hour in the refrigerator, the aromatic and alluring caviar is ready to be served.

Saute

The dish according to the elegant French recipe is perfect for serving on the festive table. Required Products:

• four eggplant;
• one onion, preferably red;
• two carrots;
• four tomatoes;
• bell pepper;
• three cloves of garlic;
• olive oil - 80 ml;
• salt.

For a delicate taste, it is important to remove all bitterness using salt. Eggplant should be cut into slices of 5 mm thickness. Cut onion and pepper into even slices, pass the carrots through a coarse grater, and boil the tomatoes with boiling water, remove the peel, and then cut into a cube.

Vegetables send stewed in vegetable oil. Dry the eggplants with a towel and put in a frying pan. They should be fried for 2 minutes on each side until golden.

After half an hour stewing vegetables add eggplant, more oil, salt, selected spices and mix. Sauté will be cooked over low heat for another 15–20 minutes. After serving.

Cutlets

Excellent vegetarian cutlets can be prepared with eggplant. It will be very tasty, nutritious and without any meat. It goes especially well with the addition of hard cheese. To prepare fragrant cutlets, you will need the following ingredients:

• eggplant - 800 g;
• hard cheese - 100 g;
• two eggs;
• two cloves of garlic;
• 50 ml of milk;
• a few slices of loaf;
• breadcrumbs - 50 g;
• vegetable oil;
• green onions;
• parsley.

Cut the eggplants into a small cube and quickly fry them so that they soften slightly. While they cool, grate the cheese, finely chop the parsley and a few feathers of green onions. Soak loaf or bread in milk.

Pass cooled eggplants through a meat grinder or blender, then proceed similarly with bread soaked in milk, add grated cheese, garlic, herbs, beat both eggs and add spices. Now you need to thoroughly mix everything until smooth. Place the breadcrumbs in a bowl sufficient for deboning. It remains only to form the patties, dump them in crackers and send them to the pan until cooked. Delicious, aromatic and vegetarian dish ready.

Fritters

You can fry excellent vegetable pancakes from eggplant; they are great for a hearty breakfast or dinner. A healthy and dietary dish is served cold or hot, and cooking it is extremely simple. The following products are needed:

• young eggplant - 200 g;
• zucchini - 100 g;
• onion - 50 g;
• garlic - one clove;
• fresh dill - five branches;
• egg - 3 pcs.;
• flour - 60 g;
• paprika 3 g;
• green onions - four feathers;
• feta cheese - 100 g;
• salt;
• pepper.

Better to use it is feta, but you can replace it with another soft cheese, although the taste will become less expressive.

Grate zucchini and eggplant on a medium grater. To remove flavors, place the mass in a bowl on a colander, sprinkle with salt, leave for half an hour. Grind feta in mashed potatoes with a fork, add finely chopped onion, dill to it.Garlic can be grated or let under a press.

Break eggs into a separate bowl, beat and add flour. Pour cheese, onion and garlic with this mixture. Squeeze grated vegetables and also add here. Mix all the ingredients, adding paprika and other spices. Then pour fritters on a preheated pan with oil. Fry until bright golden on both sides. Tasty and at the same time dietary pancakes can be served with low-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt.

How to fry

Eggplants are fried very quickly. There are many recipes and sauces, you can really experiment a lot. The main rule is not to remove the peel, only it allows you to keep in shape, does not allow to spread in a puree on a plate. The simplest and most delicious frying recipe will require the following components:

• two medium eggplants;
• three cloves of garlic;
• some parsley;
• vegetable oil.

In order for the dish to turn out dietary, it is necessary to soak the eggplant slices in salt water for half an hour or an hour. So the pulp will not absorb oil from the pan.

Finely chop the parsley, you can also do with garlic or rub on a fine grater. Add oil to a preheated skillet, place slices of eggplant. Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side. Before serving, put each slice on a paper towel and remove excess oil. Then put in a plate and sprinkle with a mixture of garlic and parsley.

How to bake in the oven

There are many recipes for baking. However, the most popular are stuffed eggplants. They can be combined with mushrooms, meat, various vegetable fillings. For a diet, but very tasty dish, you need such components:

• two eggplants;
• champignons - 100 g;
• one onion;
• a tablespoon of sour cream;
• hard cheese per cap - 50 g;
• half a teaspoon of paprika;
• salt;
• pepper;
• green dill for serving.

Cut the eggplant in half, grease each half with oil and send everything to the oven 180 degrees for 15 minutes. This will soften the flesh, allowing you to scrape a little under the filling.

Cut the onion into thin half rings, the mushrooms into slices and easily fry until a blush appears. Season the mass with sour cream, paprika, salt and pepper, and then mix.

Remove a little pulp from the eggplant using a spoon and put the prepared filling there. Stuffed halves in the oven for 15 minutes at 180 degrees, then sprinkle with cheese and again send to heat for 2-3 minutes. The dish is ready to serve.

How to stew

Stewing is one of the most effective types of cooking eggplant. There are tons of different recipes and stews. It’s easiest to cook stewed vegetables in just half an hour. This will require the following products:

• eggplant;
• one tomato;
• one bell pepper;
• bulb;
• clove of garlic;
• a third of a bunch of greenery;
• a tablespoon of oil;
• a teaspoon of vinegar;
• half a teaspoon of sugar;
• pepper and salt.

Finely chop and pass the onion in literally 3 minutes, this will be enough. Then add chopped Bulgarian pepper for 3 minutes, then diced eggplant, after another 5 minutes, slices of tomatoes. Fry all this in a single saucepan or then transfer to a quench tank.

Stew under the lid for 5 minutes, and you do not need to add water, since vegetables will give a lot of juice. Add spices, vinegar, grated garlic, mix and leave to simmer another 10 minutes. The dish is ready, it can be served both hot and cold.

How to pickle

Pickled eggplant is especially tasty, they are saturated with new flavors. However, many recipes are quite complex and require a lot of time. There is a special way to cook delicious pickled eggplant quickly and easily, this will require the following ingredients:

• one eggplant;
• dry white or semi-dry wine;
• dill;
• garlic;
• olive oil;
• salt;
• sugar.

The easiest way to use the proportions of a liter of wine is to add a teaspoon of chopped dill, a tablespoon of olive oil, 3 grated cloves of garlic, at least a teaspoon of salt and sugar.

Cut the eggplant into small cubes. Fast cooking will require heat treatment. Bring the container with wine marinade to a boil and add the eggplant slices, let it boil again, reduce the heat and cook for 15 minutes. The dish is ready, it is served cold on the table. By the way, this marinade is suitable for onions and bell peppers, so you can immediately cook allsorts.

Do I need to peel eggplant

It depends on the final dish and the necessary softness. Bitterness is concentrated in the layer under the peel. Young eggplants do not need to be peeled. After heat treatment, the skin is tender and easily disperses in the mouth.

It is necessary to remove the peel from old eggplants, it significantly thickens and becomes tough even after prolonged stewing.

Much depends on the nature of the heat treatment. For example, when frying in slices, it is the peel that prevents the pulp from spreading and keeps its shape neat. But in a stew or tender roll, the peel will be superfluous.

Is it possible to eat raw

Technically, you can eat eggplant sliced ​​into thin slices. However, the taste of the raw fruit is very specific and even unpleasant. Bitterness can be siphoned off with salt, but anyway such an eggplant will not taste good. Ripeness is also important, old and soft fruits accumulate solanine. It will not be destroyed in heat treatment, but will enter the body.

But in cooking, an unprocessed vegetable is sometimes used. Thinly sliced ​​can go as an addition to vegetable marinades. Raw Asian eggplant chips are sometimes served in Asian cuisine. Thin slices are sprayed with lemon juice, add spices and insist for 5-10 minutes, then the dish is ready to serve.

How to remove bitterness from eggplant

It looks like an ideal fruit, fresh and beautiful, can be very bitter. This is easy to fix, but only with respect to unfrozen eggplant. Use regular salt. She will draw bitter substances from the fetus along with excess juice.

Basically prepare the eggplant. For example, if you plan to fry - cut into circles, for stew - grind into a cube. Salt solution must be prepared at the rate of one full tablespoon of salt per liter of water. After dissolving the salt, add the eggplant. To prevent them from popping up, cover with a plate on top. Keep in brine for 30 minutes and then rinse with running water.

The second technique is more suitable for fruits that need to be baked whole or in large pieces. It is highly recommended to remove the skin. If the peel is needed in the recipe, then the fruit should be cut in half or in large pieces so that the salt can penetrate the pulp. Sprinkle the surface of the eggplant with salt for 20-30 minutes. After that, just rinse and you can cook.

Can I give eggplant to animals?

For dogs and cats, the recommended proportion of vegetables is 20%. Eggplant can also be used as part of this diet. But the animal should not have kidney problems or allergies to nightshade. Like people, they are not recommended to eat raw fruit. It is better to give baked or in the form of vegetable stew.

You should pay attention to the total dosage, especially when feeding cats. For them, the fetus can quickly become toxic with the manifestation of mild symptoms of administration, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy.

Eggplant should not be given to rabbits; they have a high susceptibility to solanine. Even a small amount of fresh fruit can cause poisoning.

Interesting Eggplant Facts

1. Today it is proved that eggplant first appeared in India. Moreover, they were pear-shaped and with a purple peel.
2. By the way, the English name for eggplant is eggplant, which translates as a vegetable egg.The reason is simple, at the moment when the British got acquainted with the fruits, the most elite and expensive varieties were considered white eggplant in the shape of a large chicken egg.
3. Until the 18th century, it was popular in Europe to breed various varieties of eggplant, but they were used exclusively as decoration elements, decorating a garden or home, but not for eating.
4. Eggplant is considered a vegetable, and not only in consciousness, but also in cooking. However, from a scientific point of view, this is a seed berry, and the thistle is the closest relative of the plant.

Photo eggplant