Solanum melongena (Aubergine / Eggplant / Brinjal)

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Asterids > Euasterid I > Order: Solanales > Family: Solanaceae

Origin

India. Introduced into Spain and northern Africa by arab traders in the Middle Ages, by the 15th century was established in Italy and in France by the 18th century.

Uses

Cooked as a vegetable, eg. in ratatouille. Has a very spongy texture so that when you fry it, it soaks up vast quantities of oil. However, once the heat reaches a certain level, the spongy structure collapses and much of the oil is removed.