IN China, when a photographer tells photo subjects to say “cheese,” the old-fashioned word used to evoke smiles for the camera is qie zi, or eggplant.

Indeed, there is much to smile about when considering the myriad of ways this vegetable is turned into popular, tasty dishes in China.

Although eggplant, or aubergine, is botanically in the same family as tomatoes, its raw taste is unappealing.

The oblong vegetable with purple skin was first cultivated in India about 4,000 years ago. It then travelled east to China in the 4th century. The first description of eggplant appeared in “A Fourth Century Flora of Southeast Asia,” written by Ji Han (AD 263-306).

By the Song Dynasty (AD 960–1279), eggplants were already grown across China, diversifying into different species: purple eggplant, white eggplant and turkey berry (Solanum torvum).

Today, half the world’s eggplants are grown in China, followed by India, Iran and Egypt.

Chinese culinary love affair with eggplant is reflected in the nation’s four great classic novels. In Cao Xueqin’s “Dream of the Red Chamber,” a description of the vegetable fills the 41st chapter.

In the tale, a dish called qie xiang deceives Granny Liu. Qie means eggplant, while xiang originally meant “to split open dried fish.”

Grandmother Jia (the Dowager) asks Wang Xifeng (Lady Feng) to serve some qie xiang to Granny Liu, who laughs after tasting the dish and says, “You can’t fool me. If eggplant tastes this good, we wouldn’t grow any other crops.”

The recipe she finally wrests from Lady Feng turns out to be much more complicated than she imagines.

It calls for the eggplant to be peeled and then diced. The pieces are then fried in oil extracted from chicken fat.

Finely diced chicken breast, mushrooms (including xiang jun, a variety from Sichuan), fresh bamboo shoots, spiced dried bean curd and assorted nuts are added to the fried eggplant, and the mixture is stewed with chicken stock until the liquid evaporates. To finish it off, aromatic sesame oil and a marinade made with jiu niang (fermented glutinous rice) are added. The mixture is then sealed in a jar. To serve qie xiang, a portion of the mixture is added to stir-fried chicken pieces.

“Oh my Buddha! No wonder it tastes like this when 10 chickens are needed for the recipe,” declares Granny Liu.

No one knows whether the dish as described actually existed, but what is true is the fact that eggplant really tastes good when cooked in fat or grease.

In braised eggplant, a classic Chinese dish, fresh eggplant is cut into strips or chunks and traditionally fried in oil before use in stir-fries or braising.

The extra step is to reduce the moisture content of the eggplant by at least 70 percent, which improves the texture and prevents the vegetable from becoming soggy in cooking. The trick to frying eggplant is to let the fresh eggplant pieces sit in some salt for 10 to 30 minutes, which softens the vegetables and drains out some of the water. After that, very hot oil must be used to prevent the eggplant from absorbing too much oil.

In northeastern China, a popular dish called di san xian, or “three delicacies of the land,” braises eggplant with potatoes and green peppers.

Because eggplants are sponges when it comes to oil, the vegetable often gets a bum rap in healthy lifestyle advice. Still, some studies claim its content of fiber, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and a flavonoid known as anthocyanin is good for controlling obesity and reducing the risk of heart disease.

One of the top dishes on the late snack menu in China is grilled eggplant, which is often described as “mind-blowing.” Compared with classic braised eggplant, the grilled version is relatively healthier because it doesn’t include a frying step. Instead, the eggplant is baked twice to eliminate most of the moisture.

One healthy way to enjoy eggplant is shredded garlic eggplant, a salad-style dish that requires no cooking in oil or fat. To make this dish, fresh eggplant is first steamed for 10 minutes until fully cooked, and then set aside to cool. Then the eggplant is shredded by hand, arranged on a plate and topped with a dressing sauce of light soy sauce, vinegar, chopped chilies and green onion, minced garlic and salt. For extra aroma, drizzle on a bit of the sesame seed oil.

On the “guilty-but-tasty” side is the popular dish of minced meat stuffed between two slices of eggplant, and then dipped in batter and fried in hot oil. The fried eggplant “sandwich” can be eaten fresh out of the pan or used in other stews and braised dishes.

When making dumplings or steamed buns, eggplant can also make a delicious filling, with or without other meats.

Eggplant features prominently in many cuisines across the world.

In India, the vegetable is used in stews and curries. The stuffed eggplant dish called bharli vangi is a traditional one that stuffs the eggplant with dry shredded coconut, peanuts and masala before cooking in oil.

In Western cuisine, eggplants are used in dishes like ratatouille, parmigiana, pastas and escalivada, a roasted eggplant dish from Spain.

Prep time: 50-60 minutes

Yield: 2-3 servings

Grilled eggplant is a simple, quick and flavorful dish that can be made in home kitchens.

Ingredients:

2 fresh, large eggplants

For the topping: light soy sauce, oil, ground cumin, minced garlic, salt and chopped green onion

Direction:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius

2. Rinse the eggplant and pat dry. Place on a foiled-covered baking tray and brush a little oil on the surface of the eggplants. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove when the skin wrinkles and the flesh softens.

3. Take a knife and slice open the eggplant. Avoid cutting entirely open. With a fork, mash out a cavity in the middle of the eggplant.

4. In a small bowl, mix the oil, soy sauce and salt. Add the cumin and garlic. Pour the sauce into the eggplant cavity and sprinkle green onion on top. If you prefer the dish spicy, you can also add some chopped chilies.

5. Return the eggplant to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.

6. The dish is now ready. Remember to mix the eggplant flesh together with the toppings and sauce.