I have one Ichiban Eggplant getting ripe that I am watching and watching and watching.




I am a little sad that the first harvest won't be enough to make eggplant Parmesan. Yesterday, I pruned the plant a little so it will hopefully grow stronger and bigger and produce more eggplants. It has been flowering quite a bit, but not enough for me. I want MORE.

ckatNM said:I have one Ichiban Eggplant getting ripe that I am watching and watching and watching.

• Eggplant (Solanum melongena 'Ichiban')
• Uploaded by ckatNM

• Eggplant (Solanum melongena 'Ichiban')
• Uploaded by ckatNM

I am a little sad that the first harvest won't be enough to make eggplant Parmesan. Yesterday, I pruned the plant a little so it will hopefully grow stronger and bigger and produce more eggplants. It has been flowering quite a bit, but not enough for me. I want MORE.

Looks good. But yes, you would need quite a few of them to make a decent meal.

I've been told that if you pick that first eggplant while it is quite small the plant will react by making more fruits.
Has anyone else heard that?

I have heard that also. I picked the first one that appeared and shortly after I picked that one, more flowers appeared, but this is the only one that seems to have set fruit out of all the flowers. So far. There are still more flowers in bloom at the moment. It also has more healthy looking leaves than before as well. I think the warmer days and nights have also helped. Last year, the eggplant suddenly began to set more fruit when the temperatures were hotter. I don't have much experience with eggplants, so I am just learning as I go and trying to note the differences of my previous attempts.

Do you see many bees around? Eggplant must be pollinated to set fruit.

I have a ton of bees. They are quite the busy bees over my large lavender plant that is almost in the center of the yard by itself. I like to grab a bucket, turn it upside down near the lavender, and watch all the many types of bees that come to feast on the lavender. This is much better and more relaxing than watching fish when I had several aquariums. (I gave the aquariums up when I learned how the fishkeeping trade is destroying ecosystems. I felt very guilty.) I've been wondering the best time of day to see the most bees on the lavender, but all the daytime hours I have watched the lavender, it always has at the very minimum a dozen bees on the flowers. There are also a lot of lavender plants around my neighborhood because the city has them planted along the street where I live, and along the next street to the south of where I live. They don't have enough trees yet, but I love the flowers when I go on walks.

When I am inspecting or weeding my edibles, I always leave the area if bees are there. I want them to feel welcome to return over and over.

I made eggplant Parmesan today with Japanese type eggplant. So the pieces are bite sized;

So, Ichiban eggplants don't grow very big. How do I know when is the best time to harvest them?

I failed to pay attention last year when the roommate harvested the eggplants we grew last year. It seemed he left some on the plant too long, I thought. The other time I grew eggplants for my late husband and didn't pay attention at that time either - because of my dislike of eggplants. But now that I've decided to really check out different eggplants, I think I should at least know when my first eggplant will be ready to eat. I don't want my education of eggplants to be ruined because I harvest them at the wrong time. I am still hopeful there is an eggplant I will like the taste of, I only have to grow enough to sample to discover the right one for me.

I'm no eggplant expert, I picked mine when I had about 1 lb of them. Picked the bigger ones (5-6"), left the small (under 3"). It would be my opinion that eggplant can get too old, but not too young. So don't let them get old.

Texaskitty, that really looks great. Wish I could try a bite. Bet it was delicious. And I tend to agree with your harvesting advice.

As far as taste, I can never taste the difference. People say different ones have different flavors but for me, I get the flavors of the seasons in whatever dish I make with them.

We pick our eggplant (Ichiban) when they are 6 - 8 inches long.

Harvest your eggplant any time while the skin is smooth and glossy. When the skin starts losing its gloss it's past its prime. Eggplant is like a sponge. Cook or marinate it in whatever spices or herbs you like and you'll like the taste. Claud

Eggplant Fritters

Peel and dice 2 Ping Tung Long eggplant and 1 medium onion.

Cook in microwave as fresh vegetable.

Drain any liquid from the bowl.

Mash the cooked eggplant and onion with a fork or potato masher.

Add 1 large egg, milk, self-rising flour, and salt and pepper to taste to make a batter about the consistancy of mashed potatoes.

Butter a hot griddle and cook like a thick pancake.

Makes 8 - 10 fritters.

Those eggplant fritters sound yummy. Do you put anything on the fritters, after they are cooked, before serving?

I am hungry now because I decided to have a nap early, instead of after having something to eat for lunch first. I keep having stuff to do and missing my afternoon naps, so I've been feeling exhausted the past week. The weather called for rain, so I hoped I'd wake to the fresh rain, but as usual, if there was any rain, it passed us by. And it is still hot.

I need to go out to the garden to measure that Ichiban eggplant. I think it was only about 3.5 inches long the last time I checked it a couple days ago. I looked for more growing on the plant, since it has steadily grown flowers. I don't think I'll be able to wait for this first one I harvest to grow larger than 6 inches. Whatever day that will be, it will be eggplant fritter day.

I will try that Claud. Thank you.

I agree with Claud - pick the eggplants when the skin is glossy and shiny. That is a better indicator of when to pick than size. I have had japanese eggplants as long as 10 inches and some stops growing at 4 inches. I try to pick them before they start losing the sheen.

No need to top the fritters with anything. But after you eat 5 or 6 they may start getting a little bit of an anty taste and you may want to try dipping them in ranch dressing, salsa or pancake syrup. Claud

I just pulled a Ziplok baggie of last year's Hansel & Gretel eggplants from the freezer to cook this evening.

Spicy Asian Eggplant over Uncle Ben's Jasmine Rice. YUM-my!

"Eggplant cubes are stir-fried until browned, then simmered in a spicy Asian-inspired sauce with onion and garlic until meltingly tender."

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or other oil)
4 Japanese eggplants, cut into 1-inch cubes (I slice them on the diagonal, like plantains)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced garlic (I increase to two tablespoons)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tbs. water (use shrimp broth or rice wine vinegar)
Fresh Broccoli flowerettes (I've yet to include the broccoli)
1& 1/2 tablespoons Oyster Sauce (I've substituted about 1 tbsp. fish sauce)
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
1 teaspoon white sugar (I use brown sugar instead)
Ground black pepper (or red pepper flakes), to taste
1/2 teaspoon Asian (toasted) sesame oil (careful -- a little goes a looooooooooong way...)
Toasted Sesame Seeds for texture (optional - I've never added these)
Fresh Ginger (optional - but, I slice mine up and toss it in at the end to keep the crunch --a wonderful addition!)
Shrimp, chicken, beef, or firm Tofu for protein (I prefer to use shrimp)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Cook and stir the eggplant cubes until they begin to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the eggplant with a slotted spoon, and set aside.

2. Heat 2 more tablespoons of oil in the skillet over medium-high heat, and cook and stir the onions just until they begin to soften, about 30 seconds. Stir in the garlic, and cook and stir an additional 30 seconds. Mix in the soy sauce, water, oyster sauce, chili garlic sauce, sugar, and black pepper, and stir to form a smooth sauce. (Play with this mixture until you like the way it tastes...)

3. Return the eggplant to the skillet, lower the heat, and allow the vegetables and sauce to simmer until the eggplant is tender and almost all the liquid has been absorbed, about 5-25 minutes (time depends on the consistency you want your eggplant to be -- you decide).

4. Drizzle a couple drops of sesame oil over the dish, and give one final brief stir to combine.

I serve my eggplant over steamed white rice. I LOVE Uncle Ben's Jasmine rice (90 seconds in the microwave), and will be trying this with the eggplant, tonight!

P.S. The Hansel & Gretel eggplants are long and slender. They have thinner skins, and, if picked very young, do NOT need to be peeled. However, the skins get chewy and the fruits get more bitter the older they are picked. The sugar and the natural sweetness of the shrimps (in this recipe) tends to neutralize any bitterness from older fruits.

Just try to pick an eggplant when it is shiny!!!

Enjoy!

No ready to pick ones here as yet.

I put fertilizer on my eggplants. Maybe that will get them going. Not too much though, just a small amount. Want lots of flowers and so they set the fruits already.

My Ichiban has one growing now. I guess it only wants to give me one at a time. Next year, I better plan on at least two Ichiban eggplants so I will have enough for at least a decent side dish.

I am glad my supper is in front of me, because this forum always make me soooooooooooo hungry.