Asian Eggplant: An Easy Vegetable To Love

It cooks up quickly and adapts to different seasonings

The weekend I moved to New Orleans in 2022, I went in search of dinner. My arrival coincided with Jazz Fest, and I knew many places would be crowded, so I decided to stay uptown. I was in the mood for Asian food, and zeroed in on Thai Mint.

I called to make sure they were open. They were, but the owner suggested I place my order on the phone, since the kitchen would close soon. I hesitated for a moment and she said, “Have the eggplant. You will enjoy it.”

She was right. The dish was made from Asian eggplant, often called Japanese eggplant. Unlike the more familiar Italian eggplant, which is plump and dark purple, Asian eggplant looks like long fingers, often purple tinged with violet and white.

While conventional eggplant requires some preparation, such as peeling, salting and draining, you can simply wash and slice up Asian eggplant, and it is ready to use. Some people cut it the long way; I slice the eggplant into coins, about an inch thick.