Chinese eggplant ( aka Asian eggplant) is a bright purple, thin tubular-shaped fruit (yes, fruit!) that is most commonly used in stir-fries, deep-fried, oven-roasted, or curries.
Its spongy flesh absorbs all the flavors of the sauces and provides a slight sweetness and creaminess to any dish. It can also be used in braised dishes. When braised, they turn soft and very sweet and creamy!
One of the fantastic things about Chinese eggplants is that you don't need to salt them to remove the bitterness as you do with normal Italian eggplants. Chinese eggplants don't have a bitter flavor, so you can use them as-is. That being said, it is still good practice to soak them in salted water before you plan to stir-fry them so that they don't act like a dry sponge and absorb all the cooking oil.
Where Can You Find Asian Eggplants?
You can occasionally find these at local grocery stores and gourmet specialty stores, but you can almost always find them at Asian supermarkets.
When picking them out at the grocery store, find firm ones with no brown blemishes or dents. The eggplant should have smooth skin, be wrinkle-free, and be a rich purple color.
You can also substitute Indian eggplant for it if you cannot find it in the store. They are smaller in size (egg-shaped) but have the same characteristics and flavors as Asian eggplant.
How Do You Store It?
Asian eggplant should be stored at room temperature, away from the sun. You can also store them in the fridge, but they may turn brown at a cooler temperature.
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