Stuffed eggplant is a dish made by filling a hollowed-out eggplant with vegetables and condiments, often topped with cheese. It can be made vegetarian or vegan and is a healthy option if prepared with low-fat ingredients. Eggplants are high in potassium, folate, and vitamin C, but some people may be allergic to them.
A stuffed eggplant is a hollow eggplant filled with vegetables and condiments, usually topped with cheese. The aubergine is boiled, the ingredients sometimes fried, and the last filled dish is cooked to bring everything together. Common ingredients are parmesan cheese, olive oil, and tomatoes. There are also vegetarian and vegan options that don’t include meat or cheese. Stuffed eggplant dishes can be very healthy depending on the ingredients and cooking methods used; for example, they are generally low in fat but contain many necessary vitamins.
Preparing an eggplant for the dish involves washing it, drying it, and cutting it. Sometimes the eggplant is halved, similar to how a green pepper is halved before stuffing. Other times the top is removed to scrape most of its innards, but the vegetable is not halved, just stuffed from the top. Enough of the meat is left on the skin to ensure it holds up in the oven.
Many ingredients can be used when making stuffed eggplant, though they often vary based on the style of the recipe. For example, spices such as chili peppers and pre-packaged Italian seasonings are often used. Also, parsley, tomatoes and garlic are the basis of many eggplant recipes. Cheeses such as Parmesan and mozzarella are commonly incorporated and can be used differently based on the particular recipe. Finally, ingredients like wine, sausage, and olive oil can be seen in some styles of stuffed eggplant.
Stuffed eggplant dishes can be made completely vegetarian or vegan. Vegetarians only have to omit the meat, while vegans can omit the meat and cheese. Stuffed aubergines are a very flexible dish where the filling can be pretty much anything. In addition to substituting tofu and cheese for meat with a non-dairy substitute, a cook can replace recommended vegetables with one of his or her favorites.
A plain eggplant is low in fat, sugar and carbohydrates, but high in potassium, folate and vitamin C. It belongs to the nightshade family and is closely related to tomatoes. For the most part, stuffed eggplant is only as unhealthy as what a cook adds to it; for example, lots of cheese, red meat, and white rice can make a stuffed eggplant dish a less healthy option. Additionally, a 2008 study in India found that nearly 10 percent of study participants were allergic to eggplants. Another downside to eating eggplant is its nicotine content, although the amount of nicotine contained in the plant is insignificant compared to secondhand smoke.
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