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Cookbook:Garden Egg

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Garden Egg
CategoryVegetables

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The garden egg, gilo eggplant, or guinea squash is a small, specific variety of eggplant native to Sub-Saharan Africa.[1][2]

Characteristics

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Garden eggs are small and ovular, much like their namesake the egg.[1][2] Their skin is white in the 'immature' stage, after which they fully mature to yellow-red or, rarely, purple to black—however, they are primarily consumed in their white stage.[1][2] Uncooked, they have a crunchy texture with a mild bitter flavor.[3] Cooked, their spongy flesh absorbs the surrounding flavor of the dish.[1]

Selection and storage

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When fresh, garden egg is best stored around 50°F.[1] The vegetable can also be dried and stored for up to three months at room temperature.[1][2]

Garden egg fruit, stems, and leaves can all be eaten.[1][2] The fruit can be eaten raw,[1][2] although it is most commonly cooked.[3] It can be simmered in soups and stews, grilled, mashed, and sautéed. It is widely used across Africa,[2] though otherwise limited to this continent and its diaspora communities.

Recipes

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References

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  1. a b c d e f g h "Garden Egg | WorldCrops". worldcrops.org. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
  2. a b c d e f g National Research Council (U.S.); National Research Council (U.S.), eds. (1996). Lost crops of Africa. Vol. I. Washington, D.C: National Academy Press. ISBN 978-0-309-04990-0.
  3. a b "Garden Egg Eggplant". specialtyproduce.com. Retrieved 2024-08-25.