Brinjal ( Solanum melongena ) is a plant species in the nightshade family
Solanaceae.
Botany
The fruit is botanically a berry. There are different cultivars of different
size, shape and colour.
It was originally domesticated form
of the wild nightshade species thorn or bitter apple, Solanum incanum, with probably two independent domestications : one
in South Asia and one in East Asia.
There are 3 recognized varieties :
• S. elongena var esculentum – common brinjal, including
white varieties
• S.
melongena var depressum – dwarf
• S.
melongena var serpentum – snake
Etymoloty
Eggplant
The name eggplant is usually used in
North America and Australia. First recorded
in 1763, eggplant was originally referred to the white cultivars, which look
very much like hen’s egg. The white,
egg-shaped varieties of the eggplants are also known as ‘garden eggs’ and ‘vegetable
eggs’
Aubergine
The word aubergine and brinjal were derived
from Arabic word bāḏinjān ( باذنجان). Yet,
āḏinjān is itself a loan-word from Dravidian language, which in turn borrowed
from Indic languages.
Culinary
The fruit is mostly purple, spongy,
absorbent, but low in both macronutrient and micronutrient. However, its capacity of absorbing oils and
flavors make it popular in culinary.
Raw brinjal can have a bitter taste,
with an astringent quality, but it becomes tender when cooked and develops a
rich,
Fun Facts
The colour of purple skin of brinjal is due to
the anthocyanin nasunin.
The browning of the brinjal flesh is due the
oxidation of polyphenols.
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