I have always been passionate about food, even as a child. This is not necessarily true about eating. Like any other 10-year-old boy, vegetables wasn’t at the top of my to-eat list. Eggplant was my least favorite vegetable. I couldn’t understand what an ‘I’ shaped vegetable had to offer me and the rest of the world. Carrots had a candy like flavor. Potatoes were just simply fun to eat any way it’s cooked. But eggplant? From its look to its feel, eggplant attacked my very stable palate. All my comforts were disrupted with its mushy texture and boring flavor. While the rest of my family devoured eggplant, I ran around the house hiding under cupboards. <br /> <br />The next time I came into direct contact with eggplant was last year (29 years later) when I attended culinary school in New York. My class was exploring Caponata, a traditional dish from Sicily. I conquered my fears, eyes tight shut, mouth wide open, and clamped on the Caponata. What began as a rebellion against eating eggplant turned into an eternal love affair. I opened my eyes and saw eggplant in a different light: one that would change my eggplant history for the better. Hints of butter mixed in with sugary caramel permeated the sides of my mouth. The meaty texture cushioned my mouth with flavors bouncing back and forth. I wonder why I ran away from eggplant! <br />Variations: use green chilies for a tangy taste. Omit turmeric for red curry.

Oct. 1, 2021, 11:49 a.m.

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