GOOD MORNING TO ALL MY GREEN FRIENDS.
TODAY I’LL TALK ABOUT A VERY COMMON HOUSE
PLANT OF INDIAN GARDENS.
LOOK AROUND ME, YOU WILL FIND BRINJALS IN
ALL GROW BAGS, BUCKETS, TUBS AND POTS AND
FOR A GOOD REASON AS WELL.
BRINJAL, EGGPLANT OR AUBERGINE IS A VERY COMMON
PLANT ORIGINATING FROM SOUTH ASIA AND EAST
ASIA AND IS GROWN FOR ITS FRUIT WHICH IS USED
AS A VEGETABLE.
THE PLANT SPECIES IS BELIEVED TO HAVE ORIGINATED
IN INDIA, WHERE IT CONTINUES TO GROW WILD,
OR IN AFRICA.
MOST COMMONLY PURPLE & SPONGY, FRUIT IS USED
IN SEVERAL CUISINES.
INDIANS USE IT AS A SPICED ROAST OR THE BHARTA,
AS A THICK GRAVY VEGETABLE ALONGWITH POTATOES
AND EVEN ADDED IN THE SOUTH INDIAN CURRY – SAMBHAR.
OUR FAVOURITE DISH IS THE BRINJAL CHOPS WHICH
ARE THINLY SLICED TOPPED WITH CHEESE AND SPICES
AND PAN FRIED.
THE EGGPLANT IS A DELICATE, TROPICAL PERENNIAL
PLANT OFTEN CULTIVATED AS A TENDER OR HALF-
HARDY ANNUAL IN TEMPERATE CLIMATES.
THE STEM IS OFTEN SPINY, SOMETIMES EVEN THE
LEAVES DRAW THESE SPINES TO MUCH IRRITATION
OF THE HARVESTORS.
THE FLOWERS ARE WHITE TO PURPLE IN COLOR.
THEY CAN BE EGG-SHAPED, GLOSSY, AND PURPLE
WITH WHITE FLESH AND A SPONGY, "MEATY" TEXTURE.
SOME OTHER CULTIVARS ARE WHITE AND LONGER
IN SHAPE.
THEN THESE ARE GREEN ONES AS THESE.
THE CUT SURFACE OF THE FLESH RAPIDLY TURNS
BROWN WHEN THE FRUIT IS CUT OPEN DUE TO OXIDATION.
EGGPLANT GROWS TO ABOUT 1 TO 3 FEET, WITH
LARGE 4 TO 6 INCH LEAVES.
IT HAS BEEN CULTIVATED IN SOUTHERN AND EASTERN
ASIA SINCE PREHISTORY.
IN 2018, INDIA AND ANOTHER EAST ASIAN COUNTRY
COMBINED ACCOUNTED FOR 87% OF THE WORLD PRODUCTION
OF EGGPLANTS.
IT IS RELATED TO THE TOMATO AND POTATO.
THEIR SEEDS, SAPLINGS AND EVEN BUGS LOOK THE
SAME.
LIKE THE TOMATO, ITS SKIN AND SEEDS CAN BE
EATEN, BUT, LIKE THE POTATO, IT IS USUALLY
EATEN COOKED.
EGGPLANT IS NUTRITIONALLY LOW IN MACRONUTRIENT
AND MICRONUTRIENT CONTENT, BUT THE CAPABILITY
OF THE FRUIT TO ABSORB OILS AND FLAVORS INTO
ITS FLESH THROUGH COOKING EXPANDS ITS USE
IN THE CULINARY ARTS.
BRINJAL OR EGGPLANT BELONGS TO NIGHTSHADE
FAMILY AND IS A BERRY BY BOTANICAL DEFINITION.
BECAUSE OF THE PLANT'S RELATIONSHIP WITH VARIOUS
OTHER NIGHTSHADES, THE FRUIT WAS AT ONE TIME
BELIEVED TO BE EXTREMELY POISONOUS.
BEWARE ! THE FLOWERS AND LEAVES CAN BE POISONOUS
IF CONSUMED IN LARGE QUANTITIES DUE TO THE
PRESENCE OF A PLANT POISON KNOWN AS SOLANINE.IT
IS KNOWN AS EGGPLANT IN USA, AUSTRALIA, NEW
ZEALAND AND CANADA, AUBERGINE IN UK, IRELAND
AND QUEBEC AND BRINJAL IN SOUTH ASIA AND SOUTH
AFRICA.
SO HAVE FUN GROWING AND HARVESTING SOME AT
YOUR HOMES AS WELL.
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BYE FOR NOW AND KEEP LOGGING IN FOR LOTS MORE
TO COME
