Eggplant or aubergine is a species of nightshade grown for its edible fruit.

As a nightshade, eggplant is closely related to the tomato and potato.

Some of the earliest written evidence for the use of eggplant is from the Charaka and Sushruta Samhitas, Ayurvedic texts written about 100 BC that describe the health benefits of eggplant.

In China, as part of her “bride price,” a woman must have at least 12 eggplant recipes prior to her wedding day.

In Turkey, “imam bayeldi,” a tasty treat of stuffed eggplant simmered in olive oil is said to have made a religious leader swoon in ecstasy.

When first introduced in Italy, people believed that anyone who ate the “mad apple” was sure to go insane.
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