Bitter tomato facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bitter tomato |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Solanum
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| Species: |
aethiopicum
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Solanum aethiopicum, often called the bitter tomato or Ethiopian eggplant, is a plant that grows fruits. It belongs to the Solanum family, which also includes tomatoes and potatoes. You can find this plant mostly in Asia and warm parts of Africa. People also know it by other names like garden egg or nakati.
The fruits of Solanum aethiopicum can look a bit like both an eggplant and a tomato. This is why it has so many different names! Some people even thought it was just a type of regular eggplant. This plant might have first come from a wild plant called Solanum anguivi. Another plant, the scarlet eggplant (also called Gilo or jiló), is now thought to be a special type of Solanum aethiopicum.
Scientists are studying Solanum aethiopicum to find genes that can help other important plants in the Solanum family, like the common eggplant, resist diseases.
Contents
What Solanum aethiopicum is Used For
People eat different parts of the Solanum aethiopicum plant.
Eating the Leaves and Fruits
The leaves of Solanum aethiopicum are eaten as a leaf vegetable. They are actually even more nutritious than the fruits!
The fruits themselves are very different in how they look and taste. People eat them both raw and cooked. They are becoming more popular to grow. The fruits are usually picked when they are still green, before their skin gets too thick.
Some fruits taste sweet, while others are very bitter. This depends on how much of a natural chemical called saponin they have. When the fruits get ripe, they turn bright red. This is because they have a lot of carotene, which is good for you.
Other Uses
In Asia, Solanum aethiopicum is sometimes grown just for its beauty as an ornamental plant.
In Nigeria, the Igbo people sometimes use garden eggs to welcome guests. It can be used instead of kolanut at traditional events. Garden egg is also used to make a tomato-based sauce. This sauce is often eaten with yam.
How Solanum aethiopicum is Grown
Many people in West Africa are now growing more Solanum aethiopicum. It can grow all year round and produce many fruits. However, it can be hard to get the seeds to sprout, which makes it tricky to grow widely.
In Europe, S. aethiopicum is mostly grown in one place: Rotonda, Basilicata in Southern Italy. It is quite important for business there. It was probably brought to Italy by soldiers returning from Africa in the late 1800s.
Popular Types of Solanum aethiopicum
There are many different types of Solanum aethiopicum, each with unique features. Here are a few popular ones:
- 'Turkish Orange' or 'Turkish Italian'
* The fruits are about 2 inches wide. They turn bright orange-red when ripe, but people usually eat them when they are still green. * They have a sweet taste and are often used in Thai curry dishes. * This type can produce fruit in about 75 days after planting.
- 'Sweet Red'
* These fruits are striped and about 1 inch wide. They have a strong but not bitter flavor. * The plant does not have thorns and grows up to 3 feet tall. * It takes about 125 days for this type to produce fruit.
- 'Small Ruffled Red', 'Red Ruffles', or 'Hmong Red'
* The fruits are two inches wide and have deep creases. They have a bitter taste. * This type is used in cooking in Southeast Asia. * It can produce fruit in about 100 days after planting.
- 'Gilo', 'Jiló', or 'Scarlet eggplant'
* This type is mostly grown in Brazil. It has a bitter taste and is usually cooked before eating. * The plant takes about 75 days to grow to maturity. * Plants of this type can vary a lot in size, shape, and taste.
- 'Liberian eggplant'
* This type comes from Liberia. The young fruits are white. * They are used in soups and stews, like a dish called Tabughee. * The plant takes about 85 days to grow to maturity.
See also
In Spanish: Solanum aethiopicum para niños
