Thai Eggplant
Overview:
Thai eggplant is botanically classified as Solanum melongena. It is a member of the nightshade family that includes potatoes, tomatoes and peppers.
Thai eggplant was first found in India. It was cultivated there locally. From India, this eggplant was exported to various parts of Asia. Later, each region began to develop its own hybrids and new varieties of eggplant, similar to the Thai eggplant. Today, Thai eggplants are grown in Asia, Europe, and the United States.
The eggplant is especially popular in Thailand, which is why it is called Thai eggplant after the country’s name. This heirloom variety is also popular in Vietnamese cuisine. There are several varieties of this eggplant such as Peach Siam, Tiger Hybrid, Green Doll and Karmit Hybrid.
The average diameter of this eggplant is 2-3 cm. These eggplants can be long, cylindrical to short and round in shape. The color of this eggplant ranges from dark green to light green and white. The outer skin is smooth and shiny. The inside flesh is white and contains many small brown seeds. The seeds can be eaten.
Thai eggplants are crunchy with a mildly bitter taste. This eggplant is available all year round. This eggplant can be eaten both raw and cooked. This eggplant can be eaten raw as a salad. This eggplant is used in curry. It becomes soft when cooked. They can be added to stir-fries by slicing and can be fried in a tempura side dish.
This eggplant can be stored in a cool and dry place for up to 3 days. They are widely used in Thailand to enhance the taste of foods. Coconut cream, basil, chilies, kaffir limes, potatoes and any meat or vegetable can be added to this eggplant when making any curry. There, they are usually added raw to curry dishes, pickling and They are used to make Thai chili sauce.
Thai Eggplant Nutritional Value
Nutritional value of 100 grams of Thai eggplant are-
Vitamin C – 24 mg
Carbohydrates – 0.5 g
Energy – 39 kcal
Calcium – 7.1 g
Iron – 10 mg
Phosphorus – 7 mg
Fat – 1.6 g
Niacin – 0.11 mg
Vitamin A – 90.2 g
Protein – 0.8 mg
Thai Eggplant health benefits
Thai eggplant has many health benefits. One of the health benefits of eggplant is to control blood pressure. This eggplant contains a lot of potassium which helps in controlling blood pressure. In addition, high blood pressure is the main cause of stroke and heart attack. It reduces the risk of heart attack by controlling blood pressure. It also contributes to reducing menstrual pressure.
This fruit reduces the risk of diabetes. It has similar properties to insulin. Having these properties plays a role in controlling diabetes. It keeps our heart health good.
They are rich in Vitamin C which enhances immunity and keeps the skin health good. Vitamin C smoothens our skin and even protects skin from skin cancer. It helps to moisturize skin and is used to treat skin acne.
One of the important organs of the human body is the liver. One of the most important benefits of this eggplant is that it enhances liver function as well as keeps the liver healthy.
These eggplants help to reduce the weight of the body. They are very low in calories but also high in fiber which makes the stomach feel full. As a result, a person cannot eat much and his health gradually decreases.
It also reduces bad cholesterol in the body and increases the amount of good cholesterol in the body.
It helps to stimulate bile production. People who eat this eggplant much have a lower risk of cancer.
Thai eggplant Recipe
Roasted Thai eggplant
Thai eggplant is a common ingredient for making food for chefs. It is easy to roast this eggplant. The recipe of roasted Thai eggplant is given below-
Ingredients:
3 cups quartered green Thai eggplant
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 Pinch of pepper
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Thai basil leaves for garnish
Method:
Preheat the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium casserole dish, mix the tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Stir and add the green Thai eggplant pieces after 5 minutes. Cover with a lid and bake for 30 minutes. Turn off the oven. Garnish with Thai basil leaves and serve.
Thai Eggplant Curry
Ingredients:
250 gm quartered Thai eggplant
1 small eggplant, cut into thick batons
1 fresh long red chili, finely chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 shallots, thinly sliced
10 cm stick fresh lemon (20 g)
75 gm green curry paste
250 ml coconut milk
125 ml of water
4 fresh kafir lime leaves
30 gm of fresh Thai basil leaves
Method:
Take all the eggplants in a pan and fry for 8 minutes or until soft.
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add shallot and lemongrass. Cook the shallots and lemongrass for 3 minutes until soft. Add the curry paste. Stir and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
Add boiled eggplant. Then, add coconut milk, water and lime leaves. Stir well. Reduce heat. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until eggplant is tender.
Add half of the basil leaves to the curry. Sprinkle pepper and remaining basil leaves on the curry and serve.
Thai Eggplant Salad
Ingredients:
4 medium eggplants
2 chopped onions
½ cup peanuts
½ cup cilantro, chopped
1 shallot
2 Thai red birds’ eye chilies, deseeded and minced
juice of 2 limes
1 garlic and cloves, minced and crushed
1 teaspoon sugar
4 eggs
olive oil, salt and pepper
Method:
Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Then cut each half in a long and 1-inch wide strip. Rub the eggplants with olive oil. Then, season with salt and pepper. Keep the temperature of the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the eggplant strips in a roasting pan and fry the eggplants for about 15-20 minutes until the eggplants are soft.
Toast the peanuts in a dry pan over medium heat. Stir in the peanuts and fry until brown. Put the eggs in boiling water for 7-8 minutes, then remove.
Chopped the shallots and place them shallot in a small bowl. Then add pepper, coriander leaves, spring onion, lime juice, garlic and sugar. Mix them well and add salt. When the sauce is ready, put it in a bowl.
When the eggplants are cool enough to handle, Place the eggplant in a serving dish and serve with the prepared sauce over the eggplants. Sprinkle peanuts on top. Then, peel the boiled eggs and slice the eggs. Keep the sliced eggs on the dish. The Salad is ready to serve.
Thai Eggplant Planting :
Prepare a tray before six weeks of the last average snowfall. Mix water with sterile seeds until it is moist. Place two seeds in each room of the tray. Then, Place one heating pad in the tray. Cover the heating pad with plastic to protect it from water. Place it in a place where the seeds receive 12 to 14 hours of bright and filtered light daily. Then cover the tray with a plastic lid. Remove the plastic lid when the seeds germinate within 7 to 14 days.
Choose healthy seedlings after two to three weeks of germination. Fill each 4-inch pot with a 2-inch potting medium. Place each seedling in a pot and fill around with the potting medium. Gently press the soil around the roots. Place the pots in a tray filled with 1 inch of water. So that, every seedling receives water. Soak the pots in water for 10 to 15 minutes and then remove the pots from the water. Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer twice a week.
To plant seedlings outside, prepare the garden after two weeks of the last frost. Dig and mix the compost with the soil to a depth of 12 inches. It is best if the soil is slightly acidic. Dig an 8-inch-wide planting hole and keep a distance of 24 inches between them. Insert each eggplant seedling into the planting hole. Fill the area with soil.
Then, place a cage on top of each seedling. The cage keeps the plant straight, keeps the fruit away from the soil and allows air to circulate. Use pesticides to protect the plant from caterpillars and other insects. Water in the garden as needed.
The fruits will take 100-120 days to gain maturity if you sow seedlings. But, It will take 60-65 days to become mature if transplant. Collect eggplant if the skin is shiny and the fruits are ripe. The taste of the fruit is best if you collect these in slight immature conditions.
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References:
www.womensweeklyfood.com.au/
https://www.gritsandchopsticks.com/
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/