Eggplant is in full bloom from May to November every year, and it can be said that it is a cheap and affordable fruit and vegetable with high yield, long supply time, and rich nutrition! In particular, the purple skin of eggplant is rich in antioxidant anthocyanins, so eggplant is also known as the "scavenger of blood vessels". Eggplants with a beautiful purple skin can be used in a variety of dishes, so if you pay attention to these four places when choosing a plant, you can buy fresh eggplant and enjoy the sweetest flavor by simply cooking it.
How to choose eggplant?
► Look at the body shape
The delicious eggplant has the same body shape, and the body shape does not change much from beginning to end; It is recommended to choose eggplants with uniform fruit shape, and the seeds will be smaller, which is more convenient to handle.
► Look at the head of the pedicle
The tip of the eggplant must be tightly covered with the flesh to be a symbol of freshness, and if the tip looks very dry and easy to fall off, it means that the eggplant has been sitting for a long time.
►Look at the "eyes"
Where the tip of the eggplant connects to the fruit, there is a light-colored or white ring-shaped band, which is called the "eye" of the eggplant. If the "eyes" look distinctly white or lavender, it means that the eggplant is fresh and the flesh is delicate.
► Look at the eggplant body
Fresh eggplant skins on the market are generally dark purple with a shiny color, so avoid buying them if you see the skin white, dull, or even with wounds or spots.
Buy the eggplant at home and keep it like this!
Eggplant is not resistant to low temperatures, if you buy it and put it directly in the refrigerator, it will not take long to find that the eggplant has become hard and black, and the rich water itself has slowly evaporated, which greatly reduces the taste and flavor of the eggplant, so be sure to do a few processing steps before putting it in the refrigerator for preservation.
Keep refrigerated
► General refrigeration
Shelf life: about 1 week
After removing the stems and cleaning the purchased eggplants, dry the whole eggplant with a paper towel, wrap it in slightly damp newspaper, and then put it in a plastic bag and seal it, and then put it in the vegetable and fruit refrigerator.
Tip: If you don't have newspaper, you can also wrap the eggplant in plastic wrap instead.
► Blanch and refrigerate
Shelf life: about 3 days
After the eggplant is removed and cut into pieces, it is blanched in boiling water, let cool after getting out of the pot, and finally put it in a crisper and refrigerate.
Cryopreservation
Shelf life: about 1 month
After cutting off the eggplant tip and cutting it with a hob, soak it in clean water for 5~10 minutes to prevent the flesh from changing color, then dry the eggplant with a kitchen paper towel and put it in a plastic bag for freezing.
Tips: Storing it in the frozen way can maintain the original color and texture, and it can be cooked directly without thawing.