Eggplant, a tropical plant, is said to have originated in eastern India. A long time ago the plant was brought into southeastern Asia, but there is no record to indicate exactly when that was. In Japan, eggplant is believed to have a 1,200-year history and used to be called “nasubi.”
Today there are numerous eggplant varieties throughout the world. In Japan alone, there are various names or shapes of eggplants that are of local origins. For example, “Kamonasu” is the famous, smaller-sized, round eggplant originated in Kyoto.
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Why is fall eggplant so delicious?
Why is fall eggplant so delicious?
Eggplant is generally considered to be a summer vegetable. This is partly because it becomes more widely available in summer, but also because it has the ability to lower the body temperature when eaten. If you eat eggplants during the hot summer season, it can help prevent the loss of stamina. However, did you know that eggplant is actually at its best during fall season? There is an old phrase that goes, “Don’t let your daughter-in-law eat fall eggplants,” which will be explained later on. But first, let’s find out more about eggplants.
Have you seen any other vegetable with a color as beautiful as that of an eggplant? There is even a color called “nasu-kon (eggplant blue),” which is based on the eggplant’s distinctive purple color.
The purple color of eggplant is provided by a pigment called nasunin, a type of anthocyanin. Nasunin and chlorogenic acid, both of which are mainly found in the peel, contain abundant polyphenol, a substance that has strong antioxidant effects.
When we cook vegetables, the heat often depletes their nutrients. However, the nutritional components of the eggplant are known to be heat-resistant. So, eggplant is great for deep-frying, simmering in sauce or baking. Plus, it’s a versatile food that’s excellent for either Japanese or Western cooking. The fall eggplant is particularly delicious, with its firm skin and heavy, dense flesh.
The water content of an eggplant easily evaporates, so once you buy eggplants they should be stored in plastic wrap at room temperature or in the vegetable compartment in the refrigerator at no lower than 41 °F. The eggplant should not be overly chilled or it will lose much of its tenderness and flavor.
The eggplant turns brown when it’s cut due to an enzyme it contains. So, after you cut an eggplant cook the pieces immediately or soak them in water to prevent discoloration. When you stir-fry or deep-fry eggplants, there is no need to soak the cut pieces in water. To cook eggplants, it’s better to stir-fry or deep-fry them in oil first before seasoning. By doing so, their skin becomes shinier, the color of their flesh remains unchanged, and their natural flavors are enhanced. So, this is why eggplants are always sauteed in oil first, even when they are used in a simmered vegetable dish.
Concerning the old saying, “Don’t let your daughter-in-law eat fall eggplants,” there are several theories about it.
The first theory is that this phrase belonged to an evil mother-in-law who thought “fall eggplants are too tasty to give to her daughter-in-law.” But then, there is another theory that is completely opposite. Since the eggplant can lower the body temperature, a kind-hearted mother-in-law was concerned that eggplants might harm the uterus of her daughter-in-law. Also, there is a different theory based on a superstition about conceiving a child. Because there are not many seeds in the fall eggplant, it wasn’t given to the daughter-in-law so that she wouldn’t have trouble conceiving a child. As you can see, there are so many theories about the phrase. We don’t know which one is the most likely theory, and so we’ll leave it up to you to choose which one to believe in.
“Organic Eggplant”
In the fall season, we’ll bring you fall eggplants freshly harvested at Nijiya Farm. It takes about a month for our organic eggplant to grow to a size large enough to be harvested. Compared to those grown by conventional farming, this growth rate seems quite slow. However, Nijiya’s organic eggplants have dense flesh and thick skin. They’re packed with natural eggplant flavors and are truly delicious. In addition to the tender skin and flesh, Nijiya Farm’s “Organic Eggplant” has more nutrients than regular eggplants do. With its delightful flavor, our organic eggplants can give you a satisfying experience that regular eggplants can’t offer.
How to Cook Nasu? (Eggplant Recipes)
Eggplant and Nagaimo Gratin (Japanese Mountain Yam) Recipe
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- 1 eggplant
- 2 slices bacon
- 8 oz. nagaimo (about 4 inches)
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tbps. ketchup
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Cooking Directions
- Roughly chop the eggplant, and cut the bacon into 3/4 inch pieces. Saute them together in a skillet. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.
- Peel the nagaimo and grate in into a bow. Add the eggs, ketchup, a pinch of salt and pepper and mix well.
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Combine the ingredients of Step [1] and [2] and place them in an oven-proof baking dish. Bake for about 30 minutes.
Eggplant Bolognese Recipe
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- 1 eggplant
- 7 oz. ground beef
- 1/3 onion
- 2 oz. canned tomatoes (diced)
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 Tbsp. grated cheese
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 2 servings of pasta
Cooking Directions
- Roughly chop the eggplant into bite-size pieces, mince the onion and garlic.
- In a skillet, heat the olive oil and gently fry the garlic until it is fragrant. Add the onion and continue cooking over low heat. Add the ground beef and cook over medium heat.
- Add the eggplant and continue sautéing until the eggplant is soft. Stir in the canned tomates and cok for 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle granted cheese into the skillet, season with salt and pepper. Dress the cooked pasta with this Bolognese mixture.
Sweet and Sour Eggplant Cheese Style Recipe
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- 2 eggplants
Sauce:
- 1 Tbsp. vinegar
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
- 1 tsp. Nijiya Tsuyu Tennen (natural soup stock)
- Sesame seeds for garnish
- Sliced red pepper to taste
- Salt (to taste)
Cooking Directions
- Peel the eggplant and cut length-wise into quarters. Cut in half cross-wise and run through water. Place the eggplant on a plate, loosely cling wrap, heat for 5 min. in a microwave.
- Combine the sauce ingredients and pour onto the eggplant.
Cream of Eggplant and Chickpea Soup Recipe
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- 1 eggplant
- 4.5 oz. canned chickpeas, drained
- 1/3 onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 17 oz. water
- 1 tsp. soup stock powder
- 1 Tbsp. heavy cream
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- Paprika (to taste)
Cooking Directions
- Peel the eggplant and roughly chop into bite-size pieces. Thinly slice the onion and garlic.
- Heat olive oil and garlic in a pan and gently fry over low heat until fragrant. Add onions and eggplant and cook over medium heat until tender. Add chickpeas, water and soup stock. Cook for 15min. Set aside to cool.
- Transfer the contents of the pan into a blender and purée until smooth. Transfer back to the pan, stir over heat until warm. Add cream and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with paprika.
Miso Marinated Eggplant, Green Pepper and Shrimp Recipe
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- 1 eggplant
- 1 green pepper
- 10 shrimp
- 2 Tbsp. sesame oil (divided)
- Salt (to taste)
Marinade:
- 1 Tbsp. miso
- 1 Tbsp. mirin
- 1 Tbsp. sake
Cooking Directions
- Cut the eggplant and green pepper into 2-in. pieces. Peel and devein the shrimp.
- Heat a skillet with 1 Tbsp. sesame oil over high heat. Stir-fry the green pepper, followed by eggplant, and then shrimp.
- Add the remaining sesame oil, pour in the marinade and cook until the sauce is reduced.
Eggplant Miso Recipe
This is easy and simple, and yet it’s surprisingly delicious as well. It can be served as an appetizer or as an accompaniment to rice.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
- Fall eggplant
- Aka-miso (red miso)
- Sugar
- Vegetable oil
Cooking Directions
- Cut the eggplant into random pieces.
- Pour enough vegetable oil in a wok and saute the eggplant pieces well.
- Once the eggplant pieces have been mostly heated through, add an adequate amount of sugar and stir.
- Add a desired amount of aka-miso and stir-fry again.
Simmered Eggplant, a fall-style Recipe
With plenty of fresh mushrooms, this dish offers the scrumptious aroma and flavor of fall.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 4 fall eggplants
- 1 pack of shimeji mushrooms (cut off the bottom portion and break it apart)
- 2 bags of enoki mushrooms (cut off the hard stems and break the mushrooms apart)
- Finely sliced green onions (as appropriate)
[A]
- 3-3/5 cups dashi stock
- 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp. sugar
Cooking Directions
- Cut off the hulls of the eggplants. Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise. Make several shallow cuts diagonally on the skin of each piece.
- Prepare a large bowl filled with water and add an adequate amount of salt (not included in the ingredients). Soak the eggplants from [1] in the salted water and leave them for a while to prevent discoloration. Squeeze to drain the water.
- Place [A] and the eggplants from [2] into a saucepan. Add shimeji and enoki mushrooms. Cover with a lid and simmer.
- Transfer onto a serving bowl. Garnish with green onions.
Grilled Eggplant Recipe (version 1)
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- Fall eggplants
- Ginger as garnish
- Soy sauce as garnish
Cooking Directions
- Cut a large eggplant in half lengthwise.
- Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil over them and bake in the oven at 375 °F for 15- 20 minutes until inside is cooked well.
- Serve with grated fresh ginger and soy sauce over the baked eggplant, and eat with a spoon.
- Eat with grated fresh ginger and soy sauce.
Grilled Eggplant Recipe (version 2)
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- Fall eggplants
- Ginger as garnish
- Soy sauce as garnish
Cooking Directions
- Choose a large eggplant. Bake it whole in the oven at 400°F until the skin starts to burn slightly (about 20- 25 minutes).
- Immediately soak in cold water and peel away the skin, leaving the hull.
- Cut the flesh into bite-size pieces and transfer them to a plate.
