Ingredients

Eggplant and Salt

There are as many variations on the reasons for using salt on eggplant as there are celebrity chefs.

First and foremost, there is only one reason to use salt on eggplant and that is because it has a very high moisture content. When eggplant is broiled or cooked in a pan, it will usually steam and end up being mushy. The solution is to draw the moisture out. By sprinkling salt on the eggplant, water is drawn to the surface.

I have seen recommendations for using kosher salt. The only difference between kosher salt and regular table salt is the size of the granules. Crystals of salt (no matter what the size) dissolve in the moisture on the surface of the eggplant and form a concentrated salt solution. The high concentration of salt then pulls moisture from inside the fruit. Rinsing and patting the eggplant dry won't result in it absorbing a significant amount of water (it is porous but not a sponge). The more salt you use or the longer it is on the eggplant, the more effective this technique will be.

The other reason given for salting eggplant is to remove bitterness. This simply would be a waste of your time. Eggplant becomes bitter as it ages. All of the salt in the world can't change that. The key is to buy fresh eggplant and use it quickly. (See Choosing Eggplant.)