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Post by steev on Nov 12, 2011 11:32:36 GMT -5
One of my farm neighbors, from Thailand, gave me a past-eating eggplant for seed. It's the sort I've seen sold immature, when it's green and white. It's been sitting on the shelf and has become a rich yellow, very pretty. I noticed ( once my cold receded) that it's developed a pleasant, citrussy scent. Of course, now I'll have to taste it when I take the seed. How awful could it be? Guess I'll find out.
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Post by 12540dumont on Nov 13, 2011 2:56:27 GMT -5
Steev, If it's bitter soak in salt water. Change the water a few times before using.
Old eggplants can be quite bitter.
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Post by ottawagardener on Nov 13, 2011 16:35:56 GMT -5
Is the bitterness caused by solanine - ie, is it dangerous? I know that in some places, slightly bitter eggplants are eaten.
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Post by 12540dumont on Nov 13, 2011 21:35:04 GMT -5
Choose eggplants that are shiny and firm. At this stage, any seeds found inside are still small, so the flesh will not have accumulated the bitter compounds found in eggplants that have become overripe and puckery. Though research is still ongoing, one theory is that phenolic compounds may impart this bitterness (for more information, see the June 2003 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry and September 2003 issue of the Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science).
If you are worried that the eggplant might be bitter, slice or cube it, then salt it liberally and allow it to drain for an hour or so before cooking. Putting salt on the eggplant triggers osmosis, which draws out excess moisture and the bitterness along with it. Remove any excess salt by wrapping the eggplant in a kitchen towel and pressing on the slices or cubes, which removes even more water.
I actually like them sprinkled with salt and pressed more than soaked in salt water, but hey I'm supposed to be watching my salt.
I am, I'm watching go onto my food.
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Post by steev on Nov 14, 2011 2:03:26 GMT -5
Yeah, I'm expecting bitter, but it smells very inviting, so I just want to sample a bit when I go for the seeds. My landlady says it smells like a tomato, and I get what she means, there is a little of that, but I get a very floral citrus scent.
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Post by wildseed57 on Nov 15, 2011 12:25:14 GMT -5
Hi Steeve- as stated before most eggplants will become bitter as they become fully ripe, others especially some Thai varieties are bitter no what you do, there is one that has small pea size fruit that is cooked in a curry sauce to deaden the bitterness, I like them in spicy soups rather than curry. This year I grew three types Thai long green, Ping tung which is a very mild long purple type and Thai purple egg which has fruit that gets as big as a small hens egg which when young is very mild and sweet but as it goes from a light purple to yellow it gets very seedy with some bitterness. I live in Mtn Grove MO. which is just a short drive to Bakers Creek also known now as Baker's Ville as they hold old time festivals and music with a vegetarian lunch that they just ask for a donation. Their soups on a cold day with fresh made bread is pretty good, anyway they have a great number of eggplants that they sell including the Thai pea egg plant, but they have a couple that come from Brazil. He will ship seeds anywhere in the world. I've met and talked to him several times, pretty nice guy in his late twenties now. Getting back to the eggplants I like using some of the larger varieties to make a kind of antipasto that is very tasty on fresh made bread that is toasted, The Italians salt and drain some thick slices of egg plant and then pack in quart jars with Olive oil, garlic and onions with about a cup of hot vinegar if I remember right, very tasty on sliced bread.
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Post by wildseed57 on Nov 15, 2011 12:25:52 GMT -5
Hi Steeve- as stated before most eggplants will become bitter as they become fully ripe, others especially some Thai varieties are bitter no what you do their is one that has small pea size fruit that is cooked in a curry sauce to deaden the bitterness, I like them in spicy soups rather than curry, this year I grew three types Thai long green, Ping tung which is a very mild long purple type and Thai purple egg which has fruit that gets as big as a small hens egg which when young is very mild and sweet but as it goes from a light purple to yellow it gets very seedy with some bitterness. I live in Mtn Grove MO. which is just a short drive to Bakers Creek also known now as Baker's Ville as they hold old time festivals and music with a vegetarian lunch that they just as for a donation Their soups on a cold day with fresh made bread is pretty good anyway they have a great number of eggplants that they sell including the Thai pea egg plant, but they have a couple that come from Brazil. He will ship seeds anywhere in the world. I've met and talked to him several times, pretty nice guy in his late twenties now. Getting back to the eggplants I like using some of the larger varieties to make a kind of antipasto that is very tasty on fresh made bread that is toasted, The Italians salt and drain some thick slices of egg plant and then pack in quart jars with Olive oil, garlic and onions with about a cup of hot vinegar if I remember right, very tasty on sliced bread.
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