Although eggplants provide very little nutrition, they are among our most versatile vegetables and a component of many popular ethnic dishes, including Indian curries, Greek moussakas, Middle Eastern baba ghanoush, and French ratatouille, among others. Eggplants are filling, yet very low in calories. A cup of the raw vegetable contains less than 40 calories. There is a drawback, however, eggplants spongy texture allows them to soak up fat like a sponge. In one experiemtn a deep-fried eggplant soaked up 4 times as much fat as french fried potatoes did.
The tastiest eggplants are young and firm, with thin skins and a mild flavor. Larger ones are more likely to be seedy, tough, and bitter. The most familiar varieties have deep purple skins, but there are also light violet and white (the type that inspired its name) eggplants.
Eggplants are members of the nightshade family, which also includes tomatoes, potatoes and peppers. Some develop a bitter flavor, which can be eliminated by salting the eggplant before cooking. Slice or cube the vegetable, sprinkle with salt, let stand for 30 minutes, then drain and blot dry. The salt draws out some of the moisture as it reduces bitterness. Eggplants can be stuffed and baked or broiled, roasted, or stewed. If sautéed, use a nonstick pan and minimal oil.