Types of Eggplant

Eggplants vary greatly in size and shape: from the small pea-shaped eggplant to the classic large, purple egg-shaped variety, which can weigh up to 500 g (1 lb). Japanese eggplants are long, slender eggplants, perfect for stuffing or baking. Other kinds of eggplants, used mainly in Thai and other Asian cooking, include the bitter-tasting pea eggplants, which grow in clusters and may be red, green or purple, and Thai eggplants, small, round eggplants, usually pale purple in colour with green markings, or green and cream.