Fried Eggplant with Molasses

Fruits in the nightshade family—eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, even potatoes—were generally thought to be unhealthy and some even toxic among Medieval Europeans. Arab traders and Jewish settlers in Spain, however, did not have such concerns. Eggplants, in particular, were a staple among Muslim and Sephardic communities on the Iberian Peninsula, and, along with molasses, made this a star dish.