Did you know that brinjals (aubergines/eggplant) are a fruit?
Normally classified as a vegetable and cooked in most savoury dishes, it is actually a berry by definition.
Aubergines are popular and used in many cuisines, but which is the best way to prepare this ingredient?
We give you the bad, the good and the best way to get the most out of it.
BAD: Aubergine tempura
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Aubergine that’s coated in batter and deep-fried absorbs a lot of oil, especially if the oil’s not hot enough, and a serving of half an aubergine can contain more than 350 calories. Frying also lowers aubergine’s potassium content (needed for healthy blood pressure).
GOOD: Aubergine parmigiana
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This Italian dish, made by layering up griddled slices of aubergine with tomato sauce and Parmesan, is a low-carbohydrate alternative to lasagne and counts as two vegetable portions. It also has about a sixth of your daily fibre, plus calcium from the cheese. It can be high in fat, however.
BEST: Aubergine ratatouille
Yann and Pam's 'recharge' ratatouille recipe
Simmering aubergine with other chopped veggies, such as tomatoes and red peppers, along with herbs and olive oil, provides a wide range of plant chemicals and antioxidants linked to a lower risk of heart disease and cancer. An average serving is three of your five-a-day.