The eggplant is a annual Plante pot of the family of the Solanacées, cultivated for its Fruit consumed like Légume. The term indicates also this vegetable.

The name comes from the Catalan albergínia , itself resulting from Arabic Al-bâdinjân , borrowed from the Persan bâdengân (بادنجان), which indicated already this plant. It will be noted that the eggplant was also called melongene (or mélongine ), term preserved in his specific name like in the Italian melanzana or in Greek melitzána (μελιτζάνα).

• Synonymous: albergine, ambergine, beringene, bréhéme, bringèle, marignan, mayenne, melanzane, melongene, merangene, méringeane, verinjeane, viadase… With the Meeting, it is called bringelle .

The plant

Scientific name: Solanum melongena L., Solanaceous family of the S.

Plant cultivated like annual in the moderated countries, because she fears freezing. In the tropical countries, it is a perennial plant. This species is originating in Southern Asia (India, Burma).

The plant, with drawn up port, reached 50 cm to 1,2 m in height. The flowers, of white color or violet, recluses, are carried to the armpit of the sheets. The fruits are generally lengthened, of dark color purple.

The culture of eggplant requires heat (the growth stops in lower part of 12 °C) and of water. The plantation is done by road repair of young seedlings from 6 to 7 weeks. Nowadays, the culture is often made except ground under shelter. Harvest intervenes approximately 5 months after the plantation.

The vegetable

The eggplants are large purple or white hanging fruits. The fruit believed in the texture of a sponge and a rather unpleasant taste, which had with the presence of Saponin S. Cuit, it becomes to tend and develops a rich and complex savor, comparable with that of the Champignon S Portobello, even of the Cèpe (the introduction of eggplant sections into dried boletus sold into the trade is an often noted fraud).

The variety which resembles of close with egg of a hen as well in form as in dimension is nowadays called Indian eggplant . The variety cultivated in Occident has a similar form but is much larger and dark. Chinese with the form of a Cucumber. As well Chinese as the Indian have colors which vary white with the stem to the crimson shining with the deep crimson, but there exist albino varieties.

Note: grafted on a foot of tomato, larger fruits are obtained. The skin of the red varieties contains large quantities of Anthocyane, which makes eggplant excellent a Antioxydant (if one consumes the skin!).

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