Szechuan Eggplant Recipe, Sichuan Eggplant Step by Step - Edible Garden (2024)

FAQs

How many Chinese eggplants per plant? ›

The plant grows to about 18 inches and yields 25 to 50 fruits per plant.

Yes, the skin of Chinese eggplant is tender and entirely edible. Unlike the thicker skin of some Western eggplants, Chinese eggplant's skin cooks down to a soft texture, so there's no need to peel it. It also adds color and additional nutrients to the dish.

Fruiting. Once eggplant plants flower, it takes around one to two weeks for the fruits to fully mature. After your plants flower, developing fully mature fruits will take a week or two.

Health Benefits

And at just 25 calories and less than 1 gram of fat per serving, it's a pretty guilt-free food -- as long as you don't soak it in oil. Eggplant has antioxidants like vitamins A and C, which help protect your cells against damage.

Why Do Eggplants Turn Brown? Eggplants can have brown spots for two reasons: It's either the result of a process called enzymatic browning, or it's going bad. Enzymatic browning will only alter your eggplant's appearance, while a rotting eggplant will show additional indicators of spoilage.

While the skin of a small young eggplant is edible, the skin becomes bitter on larger or older eggplants and should be peeled. When in doubt, the answer to, "Do you peel eggplant before cooking?" is yes, peel it. Use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to remove the skin.

One of the most popular was the long, thin, purple eggplant from Taiwan known as Ping Tung. This is an exceptional eggplant with sweet, pleasant tasting flesh. The plants are incredibly prolific and produce throughout the entire season.

Also known as Oriental Charm and Pingtung Long, Chinese eggplant inherently has fewer seeds than Western eggplant varieties making them less bitter and meatier. Chinese eggplants are popularly used in stir-fries and will hold its shape when cooked.

Can You Eat Eggplant Raw? Luckily, the answer is yes! While the leaves and flowers can be toxic, the eggplant itself is safe to consume both raw and cooked, and the compound that some might be sensitive to, solanine, is only toxic when consumed in large quantities.

Should Chinese eggplant be refrigerated? ›

Eggplants do not store well for long periods of time. Without refrigeration, eggplants can be stored in a cool, dry place for 1 or 2 days. If you don't intend to eat the eggplant within 2 days, it should be refrigerated.

As in selecting any eggplant, look for those that have shiny skin without soft spots or blemishes. They should be firm to the touch. If the skin is dull, that means the Chinese eggplant is too ripe and should be avoided. When cut open, the skin should be white rather than yellow.

When the weather gets hot, eggplants can prematurely turn yellow due to sun overexposure. Try using a shade cloth to protect those tender eggplants from sunburn, but don't forget to watch them carefully so you don't miss out! As you've discovered, some summer vegetables can overwinter in milder climates.

The standard eggplant produces egg-shaped, glossy, purple-black fruit. 'Black Beauty' is the traditional eggplant size. One plant produces 4 to 6 large rounded fruit.

Eggplants grow into tall, angular plants, so they should be spaced 24 to 36 inches apart.

Plant 1-2 plants per person for fresh use depending on fruit shape, size and variety.