How to remove bitterness from cooked eggplants. Removing bitterness from eggplants

You often meet people who try not to cook anything with eggplants. They all refer to approximately the same problem - the taste of the vegetable is too bitter, which is why the dishes have a specific taste! But this can only make experienced cooks laugh, since who knows that before cooking, the bitter taste of eggplant must be removed! Then the dish will turn out amazingly tasty, and the desire to cook it will definitely appear!

How do you remove bitterness from eggplants?

When starting to remove bitterness from eggplants, you need to clearly understand that the “older” the vegetable, the more bitter it is! Hence, the processing time must be determined independently, slightly prolonging the procedure.

1. Dry salt treatment. Take coarse salt and lightly sprinkle it on the eggplants cut into desired pieces. Shake the vegetables several times to release the juice. About the twentieth minute of such salting, the eggplants are placed in a bowl of clean water and everything is washed off, that is, the remaining salt is removed along with the bitterness. The inconvenience of this method is that if coarse salt is replaced with fine salt, the vegetable may become slightly saturated and become salty.
2. Soaking eggplants. Taking a couple of tablespoons of salt per liter of water dissolves the substance as much as possible. Eggplants are dipped into salted liquid according to the “as much as will go in” principle. As soon as the cut vegetable stands in this solution for some time, the liquid will begin to become cloudy. This reaction indicates that the process has started, the juice is released, and along with it the natural bitterness of the vegetable goes away. After half an hour, pieces of vegetables can be squeezed out, draining the water completely, and rinsed. Dry by placing on a towel. This method, by the way, is also suitable for whole eggplants, only in this case the vegetables will have to be kept for about three hours rather than half an hour.
3. Freezing. The bitterness will go away from the cut pieces of fresh eggplant along with their thawing after three hours in the freezer of the refrigerator. However, this method is rarely chosen, because in this case some of the nutritional components are lost during freezing.
4. Soaking in milk. By pouring milk over cut eggplants and leaving the vegetable in this state for at least half an hour, you will achieve complete removal of bitterness. You don’t even need to rinse off the milk; just drain the liquid and dry the cut pieces with a paper napkin.
5. Remove seeds. By cutting off the skin of vegetables and removing all seeds if possible, you can completely get rid of the unpleasant taste of bitterness. Of course, this method is very labor-intensive, but many people willingly use it!
6. Immersion in boiling water. By dipping cut pieces of eggplant into boiling water for about a couple of minutes, you can easily and quickly remove not only the unpleasant taste from them, but also carry out heat treatment, which is often necessary for preparing eggplant dishes for future use.

In general, as you already understand, removing the bitterness from the “little blue ones” is not a problem at all! It was in vain that you avoided this vegetable and cooked little from it. Try one of these methods for removing eggplant bitterness in your culinary practice and prepare amazing dishes at home, both for the winter and for immediate consumption!

Eggplant is a southern plant, rare in our harsh climate. The vegetable, brought from India by the ubiquitous Arabs, appeared in Europe only in the 15th century, and even today it is exotic in Russia. So far it has been appreciated mainly in the southern regions, in the Krasnodar Territory and Stavropol Territory.

Related to tomatoes and potatoes

Did you know, for example, that eggplant is a berry? This is a nightshade, a close relative of tomatoes. And potatoes, of course. Like potatoes, it is susceptible to attacks by the Colorado potato beetle and late blight, but is not at all as unpretentious in cultivation. Loves warmth, moisture and rich soil. He somehow likes the subtropics more than our middle zone. But Russian breeders and hardworking summer residents managed to adapt to the demands of the sissy, and the “little blue ones” are successfully winning the hearts and stomachs of our compatriots.

Eggplant fruits, by the way, are not necessarily blue. When ripe, they generally range from gray-green to brown-yellow. But no one eats them when ripe - they are coarse and inedible, and they also accumulate solanine. They are eaten unripe when they are lilac and violet. However, very light varieties have also been developed (“golden egg”, “white egg”). There are large and very small, pear-shaped, spherical and cylindrical shapes.

Eggplants are fried, boiled, stewed, baked, stuffed, marinated, grilled, crushed into caviar, and eaten raw. “Longevity vegetables,” as they are called in the East, are really recommended for the elderly, especially heart patients - they contain a lot of potassium. In addition, they break down fats, therefore they are respected by those seeking to lose weight and those who are predisposed to atherosclerosis, metabolic disorders, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and liver.

It's upsetting that they're bitter. Are they bitter?

The main disappointment of experienced housewives and cooks is that eggplants are bitter. Who enjoys eating bitter things? Are they bitter? It’s interesting that people of the older generation claim this. And the young people are surprised: there are no bitter eggplants!

It turns out that everything is very simple. Indeed, the plant once produced bitter fruits. But breeders have gone to great lengths, and new varieties do without this drawback. However, here everything is like with cucumbers: there are bitter ones, there are non-bitter ones. Depends on growing conditions. Fruits that suffered during the growth period from cold and lack of moisture become bitter. And overripe. So the “little blue ones”, which grew in summer cottages in warmth and comfort, were watered on time and picked, do not give bitterness.

And supermarkets sell greenhouse fruits of non-bitter varieties. Although, of course, they are inferior in taste to those grown in the ground. But you need to choose small fruits, with blunt noses and immature ones, with small light seeds.

Cook eggplants without bitterness

But what should you do if you are unlucky and bought bitter eggplants? How to cook eggplants without being bitter?

Method one, “bald”

Just remove the skin.

Method two, “wet”

Soak in cold water. If cut - for half an hour, whole - for two hours. By adding salt to the water (two tablespoons per liter of water), you can quickly achieve the desired effect.

Method three, “salty”

Slice and sprinkle with salt. After half an hour, squeeze out the released juice.

Alternatively, you can sprinkle the chopped vegetables with salt and pour boiling water over them. After three to five minutes, drain the water and dry the eggplants.

If the recipe calls for whole fruits (say, you are going to stuff them), you can throw the eggplants into salted boiling water for a couple of minutes.

Or do this. Cut off the ends and place the top on a centimeter-thick layer of salt. After half an hour, turn it over and put it upside down, also for 30 minutes. If the recipe allows, cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and place on salt. Just rinse thoroughly afterwards to remove excess salt!

And one more little secret. Eggplants have the unpleasant property of absorbing vegetable oil like a sponge when frying. Soaking also helps to cope with the problem of excess fat. The fruits are cut, soaked in salt water for 20 minutes and squeezed. Then they will take significantly less oil.

Now that you know several ways to cook eggplants without bitterness, it's time for recipes for incredibly tasty dishes from this product.

The ability to cook deliciously, like any other talent, develops and comes with experience. And every housewife has her own secrets. It never hurts to add more recipes to your collection. Especially if the topic concerns dishes from “capricious” vegetables and fruits, for example, eggplants.

How to choose the right eggplants

Not every novice housewife will be able to deliciously cook “little blue ones.” These unusual vegetables can rightfully be considered capricious. You need not only to be able to choose the right fruits, but also to know how to remove the bitterness of eggplants.

What is important when choosing and preparing them:

• fruit size;
• color;
• pulp condition;
• proper preparation before heat treatment.

It is important not only to know not to taste bitter, but also to be able to choose them. The taste of your dish will depend on the quality of the fruit. Choose medium-sized “blue” ones. Too large fruits can be not only overripe, but also sluggish inside. Small ones are suitable if you plan to make caviar or stew. The color of the eggplant should be uniform, without white spots or stripes. If there are any, then you should not buy such products; they are most likely overripe.

Young and fresh eggplants do not have any bitterness. Only old fruits or those that have been lying on the counter for more than one day can acquire an unpleasant aftertaste. Some consider this bitterness to be a piquant feature of this vegetable. But for the most part, cooks and housewives agree: before cooking, it is worth removing the bitterness of eggplants.

After you have washed the fruits, cut off the tails. And pay attention to the “blue” flesh. If, when cutting the eggplant crosswise with a knife, you clearly feel that there is something inside, lightly press the fleshy part with your finger. It should be soft, without hard fibers. Simply put, they are called “needles.” If your finger comes across such fibers, then the entire fruit is unusable. Next, suitable eggplants can be peeled and cut into cubes, strips or slices.

What to do with eggplants before heat treatment

Now you can begin the process of getting rid of the unpleasant taste from the pulp. There are two ways to remove the bitterness of eggplants: dry and wet.

In the first option, you need to remove the seeds. Professional chefs say that this will be enough to remove the bitterness. If there is already not enough pulp, and you don’t want to bother with the seeds, then you can simply salt the chopped fruits. Then you need to cover them and leave for an hour and a half. Salt will draw out the bitter juice.

With the second option, you need to know. This can be done in two ways: in milk or in brine. So, add a tablespoon of salt per liter of water. There is no need to salt the milk. Pour in the prepared pulp and place a plate on top so that the eggplants do not float. Leave for 2-3 hours. Then drain the liquid and place the vegetables in a colander. While you sauté the roast, excess moisture will drain off.

An alternative way to get rid of bitterness

How to cook eggplants without being bitter? Another option is to freeze them. Place the chopped pulp in the freezer overnight or for four hours. Then you take it out and wait for it to thaw. The flavor will come out with the juice. Just keep in mind that after this method you can only make caviar from eggplants. During heat treatment, they will very quickly turn into puree. Of course, if you like stews in which vegetables are partially boiled, then you can use it there too. Please note that freezing deprives many foods of their original qualities, which are important when preparing certain dishes. And what’s the point of using this method to remove the bitterness of eggplants if salt does the job faster?

How to cook eggplants correctly

After the preparatory procedures, you can proceed directly to frying or baking. It is not recommended to boil or steam them. You want your husband to proudly declare to his friends: we cook eggplants deliciously? Then learn how to fry them correctly. Ideally, they should be cooked separately from the main dish and only at the very end should all the ingredients be mixed together.

If you decide to fry the eggplants in slices, then the more oil you pour into the frying pan, the browner they will turn out. The main thing is not to forget to remove excess oil from the finished slices, which can then be sprinkled with garlic or poured with sour cream.

Many of us have encountered cases when, when preparing a salad, caviar or other dish, eggplant tasted bitter and tasted unpleasant. In connection with this, gardeners and summer residents began to wonder: what is the cause of bitterness if the vegetable was grown on its own plot. We will consider below what circumstances can cause a distortion in the taste qualities of a given vegetable crop, and how to correct the situation.

Why is he bitter?

The reasons for the appearance of bitterness in eggplants were identified quite a long time ago. In order for the vegetable to have a pleasant taste, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the factors that provoke the appearance of bitterness.

• The most common cause of bitter taste is late harvest. The fact is that ripe eggplant must be removed from the garden immediately. Otherwise, the peel begins to acquire a yellowish tint and a dense structure, which gives the pulp a bitter taste. Best time for harvesting eggplant - two months after the formation of the first ovary. Light shade seeds indicates that the vegetable is not yet overripe.
• Changeable weather conditions also adversely affect the taste of eggplant. Sudden changes in temperature can cause the appearance of bitterness, especially in those vegetables that are grown in open ground. To get tasty eggplants, it is recommended to plant them in a greenhouse or small greenhouse.
• In hot sunny weather, eggplants require regular and abundant watering. A lack of moisture will inevitably cause bitterness in the vegetable pulp. It is advisable to water the seedling with non-cold water (not lower than plus twenty degrees) and only in the morning.
• Sometimes the bitterness in eggplant is simply a feature of the variety you choose. To avoid such an unpleasant situation, it is recommended to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of the vegetable crop in advance.

How to choose a vegetable?

If you are not keen on gardening and do not grow vegetables yourself, we offer you several recommendations on how to purchase eggplants and not be disappointed in their taste. First of all, give preference to slightly under-ripe, smooth and shiny vegetables. A shriveled and overripe specimen most likely no longer contains useful and nutritious substances.

The most delicious eggplant is the one covered with the thinnest peel. The taste of a vegetable crop largely depends on the color saturation. A very dark shade indicates juicy and pleasant taste, while it is recommended to avoid purchasing a light-colored fruit. It is worth noting that this vegetable can be stored for a long time in the freezer or pre-dried.

If you cut an eggplant, but were unable to cook it, remove excess moisture from the vegetable with a napkin and transfer it to food containers. The vegetable can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than six months. Defrosting is not required before cooking eggplants.

Do not forget that overripe eggplant contains a huge amount of a substance called solanine that is dangerous to the human body. Determining the freshness of a given vegetable crop is very simple. It is enough to visually note several factors for yourself. First of all, fresh, not yet overripe representatives of the nightshade crop weigh no more than five hundred grams. The length of a high-quality eggplant reaches fifteen centimeters. Pay special attention to inspecting the stalk. It is often the factor that determines the age of the fetus. The peduncle is one of the elements of a vegetable that connects the fruit to the plant. A dishonest seller may cut off the stem in order to mislead buyers. A high-quality and young eggplant has a smooth, rich green stalk. Wrinkling of the fruit indicates that this is an overripe eggplant.

The main factors indicating that eggplants were harvested quite a long time ago can be determined visually: the brown color of the stalk, the presence of dark brown spots on the skin, the soft and slippery fruit, the presence of wrinkles and dry skin. It is strongly recommended not to purchase vegetables with the above symptoms. Feel free to press lightly on the fruit with your fingers. A fresh vegetable will instantly restore its original appearance. While an overripe eggplant will leave something like a dent.

Avoid purchasing such vegetables, as they contain a large amount of solanine, which is the source of the bitter taste.

Do not purchase particularly large fruits, as this is direct evidence that the eggplants were intensively fertilized with nitrates that are harmful to the human body. If you find dark-colored seeds inside the vegetable, it is strongly recommended not to eat this eggplant. Dark eggplant pulp is also unsuitable for food. And it gives a signal that a huge amount of a toxic substance, solanine, has accumulated in it, due to the fact that the vegetable was overripe a long time ago. Fruits with crystal clear white pulp indicate that solanine did not have time to change the structure of the eggplant pulp.

But it is also worth noting that fresh vegetables, cut into pieces or slices, should not change color when exposed to air. If you notice that after cutting, eggplant slices begin to turn brown after a minute of exposure to air, giving the flesh a rich green tint, then there is a high probability that the eggplant pulp contains a small percentage of a toxic substance. In small quantities, solanine is practically harmless to the human body. However, you should not neglect precautions; it is advisable to heat treat all vegetables with greenish flesh. For example, when stewing eggplants, the amount of solanine is significantly reduced. There is a high probability that such an eggplant will taste bitter, so be sure to use one of the methods for removing the bitter taste listed below.

What do we have to do?

If the eggplant you have chosen or grown is still bitter, do not be discouraged. There are several ways to fix this problem.

• The first method is quite simple. Most likely, you may have already heard about him. Depending on the recipe of the dish you are preparing, bitter eggplants are cut into circles or slices. Then the chopped vegetable is placed in a deep container. After which coarse table salt is generously sprinkled on the vegetables. Gently stir the contents of the container. A more effective option for combating bitterness is to dip each piece in salt. However, this process will take more time than the first. Next, you need to leave the salted eggplant pieces for about twenty minutes. After time has passed, you may notice how the surface of the vegetable is covered with water droplets. This is evidence that all the bitterness has come out. After this, rinse the eggplants under a strong stream of cold running water and feel free to start cooking.

• The second way to remove bitterness also involves using a small amount of salt. So, clean cold water is poured into a large, deep container. For one liter of liquid, take one tablespoon of salt. Add salt to the water and stir well. Next, it is permissible to place the eggplants completely, but you can also cut them into large pieces. A kind of oppression is installed on top of the vegetables. This is necessary to completely immerse the vegetable in the liquid, otherwise the eggplant will begin to float. The oppression can be a wooden round board the size of the container in which the eggplant is soaked. For best effect, place a heavy object on the board. It is enough to keep the chopped vegetables in water for two to three hours. It is recommended to soak the whole vegetable overnight. After the bitterness has evaporated, it is recommended to rinse the eggplants thoroughly under a strong stream of cold water. Then they can be used for their intended purpose.

The fastest way to get rid of the bitter taste of eggplant is to cut off its skin. The fact is that bitterness is caused by a substance called solanine. It is found exclusively in the skin of this vegetable crop. You can cut it using a regular kitchen knife or a special vegetable peeler. Don't forget to rinse the vegetables thoroughly first and get rid of the tails.

There are several other alternative ways to get rid of the bitter taste of eggplants.

• Place the pre-cut eggplant into slices in an even layer on a flat plate, then place the plate in the freezer. Leave for four to five hours. After the specified time, remove the vegetable and squeeze out the resulting liquid. The bitterness will come out along with the water.

• Using milk is an effective means of removing bitterness. You need to cut the vegetable into slices and cover them with a large paper towel, on top of which pour milk. Next, the towel is pressed with some heavy flat object for fifteen to twenty minutes. The bitter taste will be absorbed into the paper towel under pressure. After which the eggplant is ready to eat. Never add salt to make the method more effective.

It is also worth noting that this method has one feature that not everyone will like. The fact is that soaking in milk, indeed, perfectly helps get rid of the bitterness in eggplant, but gives the vegetable a characteristic milky taste.

• If time is pressing, then use the express method. The pre-sliced ​​vegetable is poured with boiling water for five to ten minutes. Don't add salt. After which the boiling water is drained and the vegetable is dried.

• If the shape of the vegetable is not important to you, then you can remove the bitterness by boiling the eggplant. To do this, fill a deep container with cool water and place it on the stove. Over medium heat, bring the water to a boil. Place the chopped vegetable in boiling water and leave for five to seven minutes. Then the eggplant is removed and placed in a colander. Wait until all the liquid has drained and you can start preparing the dish. If you have a large quantity of eggplant, divide it into batches and continue boiling for no more than seven minutes.

Before properly cooking eggplants, you need to remove the bitterness. It is best to peel them and soak them in salted water. As mentioned earlier, the cause of a bitter taste may be the wrong variety of vegetable crop. It is this that determines the taste of the vegetable. It is worth noting that if you come across a representative of a bitter variety of the nightshade family, no tricks to remove bitterness from the pulp will work.

When choosing a variety to grow, pay attention to widely known and time-tested ones. The best traditional varieties include: “Diamond”, “Purple Miracle”, “Nutcracker”, “Czech Early”. For connoisseurs of the exotic, it is worth taking a closer look at “Thai White”, “Pelican” and “Rosita”.

Structurally, eggplant is very similar to bell pepper. However, it does not have the same sharpness as the latter. Faced with the fact that you have come across a bitter representative of the nightshade culture, you can use a method that is little known to everyone, and therefore rarely used, to remove bitterness from eggplant. This method involves completely removing the seeds, as many do when preparing stuffed peppers.

The eggplant must first be cut along the edge so that the vegetable is divided into two parts. Using a tablespoon, remove all seeds. Peels and seeds are typically the main sources of bitterness in nightshade crops, of which eggplant is a representative. This method is extremely good, especially if you are planning to cook a stuffed eggplant boat.

To learn how to remove bitterness from eggplants, watch the following video.

Eggplant dishes are famous all over the world. Suitable microelements included in the vegetable have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system, liver and kidneys. Eggplant breaks down fat deposits, so it is included in the diet during fasting and weight loss diets.

Fresh vegetables are distinguished from those lying on store shelves by their smooth and sparkling skin. The color is brilliant, glossy and without any extraneous stains. These young “blue ones” are suitable for preparing all kinds of dishes. Their flesh is tender and their taste is delicious.

But it is not always possible to purchase goods “from the garden”. Stale vegetables, unlike young ones, have a slight bitterness. How to remove sadness from eggplants so as not to spoil the taste of your favorite dishes?

We offer 5 famous and effective methods:

There is a sixth method, but we will reveal its secret at the end of the material.

To begin, place the blue ones in a container with warm water and rinse thoroughly. Remove the vegetable, trim the edges and dry with a kitchen towel.

Taste the ingredient. If there is sadness, we certainly get rid of it.

How to remove sadness from eggplants before cooking?

The blanks have been washed and trimmed, now we are selecting a comfortable method for neutralizing the bitterness.

Let's look at all the options in more detail:

• How to positively soak eggplants from sadness - with ice water. Soaking in cold water is suitable for preparing eggplants “for tomorrow.” Place whole vegetables in a container and fill with liquid. Leave it overnight. In the morning, remove, squeeze out excess moisture and dry with a towel. Now all that remains is to chop it, add salt and put it in the frying pan.
• The second method is soaking under pressure in salt water. How long should you soak eggplants to make the sadness go away? This procedure will take 1 hour. Prepare a saline solution in a ratio of 1 tbsp. l. salt + 1 liter of water. Cut the blue ones and put them in a bowl. Fill with salt water and press with pressure. After the time has passed, pull out the halves and rinse with clean tap water. Place on a kitchen towel or in a colander to remove excess liquid.
• Before frying, chop the blue ones into 5 mm - 1 cm circles. Place in a large bowl and sprinkle with rock or iodized salt. Leave the granules to dissolve for 20 minutes, then rinse the mugs generously with running water.
• The bitterness comes from the peel. Therefore, if the recipe does not contradict, carefully remove it with a sharp knife. In a thin layer, without touching the pulp.
• If you are going to cook a stew or puree soup - those dishes where the form of the ingredient does not matter, use boiling. Pour water into a saucepan and place it on the gas stove to heat. At this time, cut the eggplants into medium cubes and place them in a boiling container. After 2 minutes, remove from heat and pour the contents of the saucepan into a colander to get rid of excess liquid. When the water has drained, start preparing the dish. Using this method, you do not have to soak the product for a long time.
• The secret of the sixth method is freezing. This option is well suited for winter use. Prepare blue tea for future use; in winter you will hardly be able to enjoy your favorite vegetable. Cut the pulp together with the peel into rounds or cubes. Fold into plastic bags portioned - 1 time. Place in the freezer. And in winter, when you want to eat something special, take out the frozen preparations, let them go and prepare a vitamin-rich meal.

And since we’re talking about cooking, we’ll finally give you a spicy dish of fresh eggplants with tomatoes and garlic-mayonnaise sauce.

Delicious cold eggplant appetizer

Prepare 2 medium eggplants and medium ripe tomatoes as needed. For lubrication – garlic and mayonnaise. For frying - vegetable oil and flour. Cut the “little blue” ones into circles, sprinkle with salt and stir. Let it brew for 20 minutes. Now rinse under the tap with cold water. Place on a towel.

Chop the tomatoes into circles. In a separate bowl, mix mayonnaise with grated garlic. Choose the amount of garlic to taste. Pour sunflower oil into the frying pan and heat it up.

Roll each eggplant slice in sifted flour on both sides and fry. When the circles turn golden - chestnut shade, pull them out and put them on a plate.

Grease each circle with mayonnaise sauce. Place a tomato on top. A wonderful, tasty and appetizing snack is ready. Bon appetit!