In Japan, eggplants attain their peak of taste throughout a time frame often known as zansho (actually “lingering warmth”), the equal of mid-August by late September. Such aki nasu, or autumn eggplants, are particularly tasty. And, as a result of eggplant is believed to chill the physique (most likely as a result of an unusually excessive focus of minerals and phytonutrients in late-harvest fruit), dishes made with them are significantly inviting on days when warmth and humidity sap the urge for food.
Most sorts of Japanese eggplants boast tender, deeply purple skins and juicy, pale yellow-green flesh. They’re all almost seedless, and a few varieties, reminiscent of Kamo nasu grown round Kyoto, are bulbous and squat. Others, reminiscent of Hakata nasu grown in Kyushu, are lengthy and slender. All true Japanese varieties have a darkish calyx, not a inexperienced one. Most individuals consider eggplant and different members of the nightshade household reminiscent of tomatoes as greens due to their savory style — botanically, nonetheless, they’re fruit.
The Japanese have a passion for kotowaza (aphorisms) that embody tidbits of people knowledge. Many kotowaza use meals as a seasonal level of reference, and the best-known kotowaza regarding eggplants goes: “Aki nasu wa yome ni kuwasu na” (“By no means serve autumn eggplants to a daughter-in-law”).
