What is it? As you can see, they look like babies of the large, purple eggplants we're used to seeing in the grocery store. They're denser and firmer in texture than their larger, Western counterparts.
The difference in texture and flavor led me to believe that these tiny eggplants were simply unripe versions of the large, purple ones, but turns out, they're an entirely different variety altogether.
Personally, I thought the taste was too bitter and starchy to ever try again, but perhaps I didn't use the right recipe or got a bad batch.
How is it used? In Thailand, they're often used in curries and many people prefer them without the seeds (maybe that was my mistake when I cooked them). They are also sliced thin and eaten raw with spices or pickled.
Where can I find it? My favorite store when it comes to Ingredient of the Week posts, Super H Mart.
Recipe: Jungle Curry with Pork and Thai Eggplant: Courtesy of Epicurious.com.
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