History
Eggplant (Solanum melongena) is a herbaceous vegetable plant of the Saolanaceae family. Eggplant is cultivated for its fruit which is eaten as a fruit vegetable. The term eggplant designates both the plant and the fruit.
Today it is impossible to say that the eggplant would come from one region of the world in particular. Doubts remain about its provenance, in particular, because it is suspected that the wild ancestor of eggplant comes from Africa.
Otherwise, 4000 years ago, the first stammering eggplant crops, native to South Asia, were growing in the Assam region and Burma. Eggplant has been common throughout Asia for more than 2,500 years, where varieties of all colors are still found today.
The eggplant then reaches North Africa by Arab merchants long before the Middle Ages. At the beginning of the Middle Ages, it was in Spain that they introduced it.
It arrived in France in the 14th century and it was baptized Solanum melongena which means bad but soothing apple.
It arrived in Martinique during colonization at a date still undetermined.
Varieties
There are several hundred varieties of eggplants. More than 320 varieties are listed in the Official Catalog of Plant Species and Varieties and more than 40 in the French Catalog.
In Martinique, there are only 2 varieties: the Kalenda variety which is a hybrid and another purely local called Madinina.
The plant is cultivated as an annual in temperate countries and as a perennial in tropical countries.
The flowers, white or purple, solitary, are borne in the axils of the leaves. The fruits are of different shapes (ovoid, pear-shaped, spherical, cylindrical and very elongated) and of different colors (ivory white, yellow, green and more generally purplish purple to almost black) uniform, degraded or streaked.
Health benefits
Thanks to its texture and flavor, eggplant is one of the most popular vegetables for people who want to reduce their meat consumption.
It is low in calories and contains many dietary fibers.
This vegetable has a strong antioxidant power, in particular its peel. The darker it is, the more antioxidants it contains. Its antioxidants help protect body cells, and reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, cancers and other diseases related to aging.
Uses
Eggplant is rarely eaten raw. It is most often found cooked in the form of mash, stuffed gratins (see photo opposite) or in fritters. It is essential for ratatouille.
But if you want to get the most out of its vitamins, it is best to eat it raw, especially in a salad.
