BRINJAL

Origin and distribution

Brinjal is a native of India and Sri Lanka.  The ancestors of brinjal grew wild in south India and were in cultivation in southern and eastern Asian countries since prehistoric times. Although it has a long and rich history, brinjal did not always hold the revered place in food culture that it does today.  At one time brinjal had a bitter and inauspicious reputation of being able to cause insanity, leprosy and cancer, and it was even believed to be poisonous; and hence was used more as a garden plant than as a food in many parts of the world. But it was only in the 18th century, after the evolution of less bitter varieties, did brinjal lose its bitter taste and bitter reputation to gain its now esteemed place in the cuisines. Today, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, China and Japan are the leading growers of brinjal. In India, it is a popular vegetable crop of southern states and is also cultivated in certain parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. 

Last updated: 09-06-2008