The guy selling me this lovely bitter fruit at the UN Plaza Farmers’ Market swears that it’s called Thai eggplant. I don’t know. It reminds me of a bitter vegetable that’s very popular in Minas Gerais, my home state in Brazil. There it’s called giló or jiló, which sounds like “jell-o” in English. Yeah, I know, it is weird! There are a few different types of giló around. I haven’t seen it here in California, but I know for sure that it’s grown in Massachusetts, where there’s a large Brazilian population. If I ever get a plot at one of the three community gardens that I’m on the waiting list for, I’m going to grow some in San Francisco. Wouldn’t that be awesome! For the time being I’ll have to make do with Thai eggplant. It’s not quite the same as jiló, but it’s good, too.

bitter Thai eggplant

The Thai eggplant has a stunning look fresh. I love the green stripes. It sort of looks like green zebra heirloom tomatoes. Very cool! As for taste, it is a bit bitter and astringent though also sweet. It has a grainy texture, kind of like pears have. The flesh’s white and oxidizes very fast, so when you’re cooking with it, do the chopping at the very last minute.

In Brazil we cook jiló by sautéing it with garlic, oil, salt and pepper plus fresh tomatoes. It’s then served over rice. I’ve made a pasta version here.

penne with bitter Thai eggplant

Penne with Bitter Thai Eggplant

Ingredients:
2 lb Thai eggplant, tops discarded, cut into medium thick slices
Kosher salt
Black pepper
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 carrot, sliced into ribbons with potato peeler
1 tsp tomato paste
½ cup water plus a bit more
1 lb penne
3 tbsp olive oil
Grated parmesan cheese (optional)

How to:

Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta al-dente per instructions on package. Drain.

Meanwhile heat olive oil on medium high. Add garlic and sauté till fragrant. Add Thai eggplant, tomato paste, salt, pepper and water. Cover. Turn on high heat and cook for about 10 minutes or until Thai eggplant feels soft but not mushy. Remove from heat. Add carrot ribbons and reserved water to make sauce moist. Toss with pasta. Add parmesan if you’re feeling it.

We both loved this dish, which surprised me a bit as Steven tends to turn his nose up at bitter stuff. He did think that it would work better with a long noodle like spaghetti or linguini. Next time!