How To Make Eggplant Less Bitter

Even though Tom Brady and his wife Gisele Bundchen may not be fans of the lovely, purple eggplant, it certainly doesn't mean it isn't good to eat or good for you. Per Best Market, while most of us think of eggplants as vegetables, they are actually considered a fruit, a berry no less, and are part of the nightshade family which includes tomatoes and bell peppers. Both the seeds and the skin of the eggplant are edible, but most people enjoy this starchy food cooked. Did anyone say eggplant parmigiana? According to Healthline, a single serving of eggplant, or about one cup, contains just 20 calories, 3 grams of fiber, and a bunch of vitamins and nutrients that help keep our bodies going. Its rich levels of antioxidants have many calling it a superfood. 

If you are a fan of the eggplant, we are with you. However, have you ever purchased one from the grocery store and found it was a little bitter? The Kitchn shares that if you find your eggplant to be a little acerbic, this is most likely because it is old. Eggplant you buy from a farmer's market is going to be fresher because it has just been picked compared to those sold at your local grocery store. But the good news is there are ways to alleviate that tart taste.

A bitter eggplant doesn't mean you have to toss it. The Kitchn shared three different methods you can use to lessen that sour taste that leaves us making faces. If you have milk and salt in your pantry and a knife in your kitchen drawers, you are in business. The first option is to use table salt to absorb some of the moisture that is causing the bitterness. Just sprinkle salt all over your cut up eggplant and wait for an hour. Try to rinse off a little of the salt and get to cooking. However, this option is not without naysayers who believe the salt is just serving as a band-aid, covering the bitter taste rather than truly taking away the flavor.

The second option involves soaking your peeled and cut-up eggplant in milk for 30 minutes. Redi-base Cooking notes that the milk will not only take away the bitterness, but it will also make your eggplant creamier and more delicious to eat when you cook it. The last trick is to remove the seeds of the eggplant. The seeds of an eggplant are apparently the most bitter aspect of the fruit. While you can use a knife, Redi-base Cooking recommends removing the seeds with a tomato shark, which can do the job much quicker. Either way, your eggplant will be ready to cook, sans the seeds and bitter taste.