Food - Drink
Is It Necessary To Peel An Eggplant?
By ALI FAGAN
While you were undoubtedly told to remove the skin before cooking eggplant in order to prevent it from turning tough or bitter, the skin is still present when you order it at a Mediterranean restaurant. This raises whether peeling an eggplant is required or whether keeping the skin is the key to making the best eggplant at home.
To cut to the chase, no, peeling an eggplant is not required. Sometimes leaving the skin of the eggplant on can cause a tough texture or bitter flavor, which is why some people peel it off for convenience, but the skin is entirely safe and edible and contains a lot of key nutrients.
To ensure your cooked eggplant won’t be tough or bitter, avoid buying larger eggplants because they often have thicker skin, while smaller, younger eggplants with thinner skin will cook down quickly, giving fantastic texture and flavor. Cooking the eggplant for a longer period will be beneficial for reducing any roughness or bitterness in the skin.