• Go seedless – We like the texture of the tiny seeds in an eggplant, but removing a few of the tougher layers of seeds after roasting can also cut down on bitterness in the finished dish. Do you like the bitterness of eggplants? A friend prefers them more bitter than sweet.
If your eggplant tastes bitter, it is likely because it has been stored on a supermarket shelf or in your fridge for too long . It may be that as the flesh starts to deteriorate, these compounds are released and therefore take on a stronger flavor, or there may be other explanations for it – but the bitterness is associated with aging.
I large eggplants may be a little more bitter than smaller ones. That’s not because of ripeness , but just because the bigger they are, the more seeds they have. Seeds are the main source of bitterness in eggplants. However, remember that they also start getting increasingly bitter after they peak in ripeness.
Another thing we wondered was, why does eggplant taste bitter when cooked with salt?
Lets see if we can figure it out! putting salt on the eggplant triggers osmosis, which draws out excess moisture and the bitterness along with it. Similarly, how do you know if eggplant is bitter?
Is eggplant supposed to taste like a sponge?
“Eggplant is like a sponge ,” Saffitz explains. If you don’t treat it right, you’ll wind up with a soggy mess that tastes exclusively of oil, and is definitely not crispy.
This was very good and had a much sweeter taste. • Smaller is better – Smaller, more slender eggplants, like Chinese eggplants, tend to be less bitter. • Go seedless – We like the texture of the tiny seeds in an eggplant, but removing a few of the tougher layers of seeds after roasting can also cut down on bitterness in the finished dish.
This of course begs the question “How do you know when an eggplant is ripe?”
One answer is discerning farmers’ market shoppers may be used to sniffing and gently squeezing produce to suss out what’s ready for the taking, but if an eggplant is squishy or its skin dimples with a little pressure, it’s past its prime. Ripe eggplants at the peak of perfection are firm, with shiny and taut skin .
What is the role of phenolic acid in eggplant?
Phenolic compound has the role to protect the body from oxidative stress . Eggplant has enough of this compound to control bacterial and fungi injection from exposure to harmful elements. Further, this phenolic acid in eggplant is the reason why it has bitter taste. When the eggplant is being cut, the color inside the skin changes.
How do you cook eggplant without it falling apart?
Slice or dice the eggplant as required for your recipe. Sprinkle salt over the slices or diced pieces. Leave to sit for half an hour with the salt on the flesh. Remove the salt by washing it off once you are ready to cook with the eggplant after the half hour is up .
Do you have to drain eggplant before cooking?
You want to drain the eggplant at least 8 to 10 hours . Once drained, you will find anywhere from 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of purple liquid in the bottom of the bowl. The liquid will have sweated off most of the salt, so usually, you don’t have to season it again.