Delicious African Garden Egg – Lose Weight, Snack & Eat Organic

 
The first time I tried garden egg cooked as a stew/sauce, I was blown away by the fresh, natural flavor.
I had only ever ate garden eggs raw as a fruit; imagine my surprise to know it could taste so good as a sauce…

So What exactly is it?
Solanum melongena or garden egg as we know it is a member of the aubergine family and comes in different colours (pink, white, yellow, green, black, sometimes striped), shapes and sizes.
Called African eggplant in some regions, they basically have the same texture: meaty, light flesh with soft, edible seeds and thin, bright skin. Mostly egg-shaped, some varieties are round, flat, or fusiform. They have been found useful in the preparation of stews and vegetable sauces to be eaten with plantain, rice, yam or other tubers and taste from bland to sweet or slightly bitter.

Popular Vegetable
1. Garden eggs are an affordable commodity to be found in any African food market, be it Oshodi market in Lagos Nigeria, or Yeji market in Ghana.
2. It is a highly valued constituent of our colorful and varied diet; indeed no proper list of African foods would be complete without mentioning this versatile vegetable plant.
3. It is also not uncommon to find them served during wedding ceremonies across the continent, and particularly in Ibo wedding parties in Nigeria, where white garden eggs are served with a thick, spicy groundnut paste.
4. It is quite popular as well in Benin, Nigeria (where I first tried it).

Some like it pureed, but the proper recipe is to mash it with a fork or pestle and add to the stew/sauce.
It is advisable to keep the skin on, so that the dietary fibres in them will not be lost as they are soluble and help in lowering cholesterol.

How We Eat Garden Egg
The Yoruba’s call it “Obe-Igba” while in the South East of Nigeria it is known as “afufa” or “ahara”.
It is prepared using crayfish, fresh red pepper and tomatoes, onions and palm oil/groundnut oil according to taste.
The garden eggs are boiled separately (sometimes in the pot of yam to be eaten) then mashed and added to the sauce. Smoked or dried fish can be added if desired.

Delicious and Healthy vs. Poor Man’s Stew?
Due to the meaty consistency of garden eggs when eaten in soups, it is often used as an alternative for meat and fish, and in some cultures it is still considered a “poor man’s stew” – however, modern healthy notions consider garden egg sauce to be low in calories, rich in dietary fibre, and the perfect recipe for achieving weight loss quickly and easily.

Few More Points about Garden Egg Sauce
– Garden egg sauce eaten with boiled yam is considered a true version of the Nigerian breakfast, thanks to being a light yet filling meal.
– African garden eggs can also be bought tinned in brine; very delicious and just as good for your cooking needs.
– Belonging to the same family of vegetables which also include tomatoes, sweet peppers and potatoes, garden eggs are almost fat free and are best cooked with oil.
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