How to Cook Eggplant

The eggplant, also known as brinjal or aubergine, a native of India is an elongated purplish colored vegetable. Brinjal is known as eggplant in the United States and Canada due to its shape and resemblance to a hen's eggs. It was first introduced by the Spaniards in America. The eggplant that grows in two varieties, purple and white, was used as an ornamental plant in the United States. Now, people use it as vegetable in various dishes. I've given a few ways, which I am sure you will enjoy not only making but eating them too.

Eggplant in the Oven
The best way to cook eggplant is to roast it in an oven. Use large slices of the eggplant in order to get the best result. If you want to bake eggplant in an oven, peel the skin and soak it in salted water for about 15 minutes. This will help reduce the bitter flavor of the eggplant. After the water has drained, pierce the eggplant and bake it in a preheated oven at 175 °C. You can even roast it without peeling the skin. Here is a simple recipe for cook an eggplant in the oven.

Baked Eggplant with Parmesan Cheese
Ingredients

• 1 eggplant
• 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup butter
• 1½ tablespoons homemade spaghetti sauce
• salt to taste

Method
Melt the butter in a shallow skillet and mix olive oil with it. Cut the eggplant in thin slices and dip them into the butter-oil mixture. Dip these greased slices into breadcrumbs and place it on the greased baking tray. Apply the spaghetti sauce on the slices and cover them with shredded cheese. Bake it in a preheated oven at 190 °C till the slices turn tender. Garnish it with remaining cheese and serve with spaghetti sauce.

Eggplant on the Grill
To cook the eggplant on the grill, pierce it with a skewer and cook it on the fire for 15 minutes till the outer skin turns black and the flesh is cooked thoroughly. The smoky taste will enhance the flavor of the eggplant. Peel the outer skin and transfer the flesh in a strainer to remove the moisture. You can try this recipe to grill the eggplant and make it deliciously crispy.

Grilled Eggplant with Linguini and Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
Ingredients

• 3 medium-sized eggplants
• 1 pound Linguini
• ¾ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• Pinch of oregano
• 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1½ teaspoons basil, finely chopped
• 3 sun dried tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
• ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Salt to taste

Method
Grill the eggplants whole, on medium fire for about 20 minutes till the outer skin turns black and the flesh is cooked. Soak the sun dried tomatoes in a bowl of water until they become soft and chop them into cubes. In a skillet, pour 3 teaspoons of olive oil and add garlic, oregano, tomatoes and basil and saute till the garlic turns golden brown. In a pan, cook the pasta in salted water and olive oil till it becomes firm. Skin the eggplant and transfer the flesh into a bowl and add pepper and salt and mix them properly. Transfer the flesh into the skillet and add pine nuts and cook for about 5 minutes. Toss in the parsley and remove from the burner. Top this mixture on the pasta and garnish with the grated cheese and serve with red wine.

Eggplant without Oil
Health-conscious people usually prefer using less or no oil in their recipes. Eggplants are cooked either on nonstick pans using less oil or are steamed. Here is simple method for steaming the eggplant.

Japanese Steamed Eggplant Recipe
Ingredients

• 5 Japanese eggplants
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1½ tablespoons red rice vinegar
• ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
• A dash of sesame oil, if required

Method
Cut the eggplants into half and steam them until the flesh becomes soft. In a separate bowl, add soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil (if needed) and mix them till they blend well. Pour this mixture on top of the steamed eggplants and serve.

Eggplant in the Microwave
Cooking eggplant in microwave takes less time than other methods of cooking. The nutrients in the eggplant are also retained while cooking in microwave.

Microwave Eggplant with Parmesan and Mozzarella Cheese
Ingredients

• 2 medium-sized eggplants
• ½ cup tomato puree or tomato sauce
• 6 oz. mozzarella cheese
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• ¼ teaspoon basil
• ½ cup parmesan cheese

Method
Peel the skin and cut the eggplant in medium-sized slices. Mix the tomato sauce, oregano, parmesan cheese and basil in a bowl. On a microwave dish transfer the eggplant and the mixture, cover it with a plastic foil. Cook it in a microwave till the eggplant turns tender. Mix the mozzarella and cook again till the cheese melts.

Frying, grilling or baking are some of the ways to cook eggplant, in different recipes. If you haven't tried using an eggplant in your dishes before, try these recipes at home, I am sure you will be appreciated by one and all.