What is it?

This long, slender eggplant variety is sweet and rich, with tender skin and soft, creamy flesh. It’s less bitter than large globe eggplant, so it doesn’t need to be salted before cooking. Also, because it is small and firm, it cooks much faster and doesn’t need as much oil as larger eggplants.

Japanese eggplant is great roasted, grilled, steamed, or added to stews. It pairs well with basil, mint, garlic, lime, chiles, miso, sesame, peanuts, red curry, vinegar, and honey.

Don’t have it?

Other small eggplant varieties, like Italian eggplant, can be substituted.

How to choose:

Select firm, purple-black, shiny fruits with no soft or brown spots.

How to prep:

Because the skin is tender and fairly thin, it’s not necessary to peel Japanese eggplant.

Recipes

• 
  Recipe

  Garlicky Stir-Fried Eggplant

  The subtle Asian flavors of garlic and ginger combine with sautéed eggplant to create a wonderfully textured dish that you’ll want to make again and again. Serve over jasmine rice…

• 
  Recipe

  Southeast Asian Grilled Eggplant Salad

  This salad is a delicious way to show off the lovely slender shape of Asian eggplants, which readily absorb the ginger-soy dressing that’s spooned over the top.

• 
  Recipe

  Thai Red Curry with Shrimp and Tofu

  This light curry is exceptionally fragrant with lemongrass and wild lime leaves. Create your own customized Thai curry with the Recipe Maker.

• 
  Recipe

  Thai Green Curry with Pork and Eggplant

  Green is the hottest of all Thai curry pastes, thanks to the fresh green chiles that give it its color. This combination of green curry paste with pork and eggplant…

• 
  Recipe

  Green Curry with Chicken & Eggplant

  Green curry paste tends to be spicier than red curry paste. If you use homemade curry paste, it may be hotter than the jarred paste, depending on the chiles you…

• 
  Recipe

  Roasted Eggplant with Chiles, Peanuts & Mint

  I usually serve this dish as an appetizer, but you can also serve it as a side dish for roasted lamb or pork.

• 
  Recipe

  Spicy Thai Shrimp Kebabs with Chile-Lemongrass Dipping Sauce

  Because shrimp cooks so quickly, it’s the lone element on the skewer. Tender Japanese or Chinese eggplant, also grilled on its own skewers, is the perfect accompaniment.

• 
  Recipe

  Eggplant & Zucchini Compote

  If you can’t find Chinese eggplant, use Italian, and be sure to choose one that hasn’t been languishing on the shelf.