Eggplant is one of the fruits that can be cooked like vegetables. Eggplant is often used in various dishes because of its soft texture and ability to absorb the flavor of spices well. With its unique shape and attractive purple color , eggplant can be a beautiful garnish in dishes.
Unfortunately, many people have difficulty cooking eggplant because it can turn black. Yup, this process occurs due to an oxidation reaction, where the eggplant flesh that is exposed to air begins to turn dark. This can happen quickly after the eggplant is cut or left too long before being cooked with any method, including stir-frying.
In fact, this blackened eggplant not only affects the visual appearance of the dish, but can also cause the eggplant to lose some of its nutrients, especially vitamin C which is susceptible to oxidation. Therefore, cooking or sauting eggplant requires special tricks. This aims to keep the nutrients and color bright purple, thus increasing the appeal of the dish.
Luckily, a TikTok user @maretauye once shared a trick for stir-frying eggplant through one of the videos she uploaded. She admitted to using one spice to prevent oxidation. As reported by BrilioFood from the TikTok account @maretauye on Thursday (8/29), the spice in question is salt.
But it should be noted that the use of this salt must also be considered. In the video, salt will be mixed with water to soak eggplant. The method is, simply prepare a basin filled with water and salt. Then cut the eggplant and soak it directly in salt water for 10 minutes.
Soaking eggplant in salt water can prevent oxidation that causes the vegetable to turn black because salt has the ability to inhibit the enzymatic oxidation process. Oxidation occurs when enzymes found in eggplant, such as polyphenol oxidase, react with oxygen in the air. This reaction causes the eggplant flesh to change color to brown or black.
TikTok/@maretauye
Well, eggplant that has been soaked in salt is not directly fried, yes. But fry the eggplant first in a lot of hot oil. It doesn't need to be too long, just until the eggplant is slightly wilted. After that immediately lift and drain.
TikTok/@maretauye
After the process, the eggplant is ready to be fried. TikTok user @maretauye is seen sauteing eggplant with various spices and basil leaves. The method is simple, just saute garlic and various spices first. After that, just add the fried eggplant and basil leaves. Stir well until the basil wilts. That way, stir-fried eggplant is ready to be served.
TikTok/@maretauye
In the upload, the eggplant that has been stir-fried remains purple and beautiful. This indicates that the soaking process with salt water is very effective in preventing eggplant from turning black. Well, besides stir-frying, you can also use this trick when you want to process eggplant in other ways, such as boiling or steaming. Guaranteed the color will remain beautiful purple and not black.