An eggplant is a vegetable with smooth, deep purple skin and soft, white flesh inside. In many parts of the world, people call it an aubergine instead.

Eggplants grow on plants in warm climates and are popular in cooking around the world. In Italian cuisine, thin slices are breaded and fried to make eggplant parmesan. In Middle Eastern cooking, roasted eggplant becomes a creamy dip called baba ganoush. Japanese and Chinese cooks stir-fry eggplant with garlic and spices.

The vegetable has a unique texture: when raw, it's somewhat spongy and bitter, but cooking transforms it into something tender and almost creamy. Eggplant soaks up flavors like a sponge soaks up water, making it perfect for absorbing delicious sauces and seasonings. While the classic variety is large and purple, eggplants also come in white, green, and striped varieties, and range in size from tiny, grape-sized ones to football-sized specimens.