Garden Egg
Garden egg, commonly refered to in the western world as "mock tomato" or gilo or huckleberry, is a fruit from the African garden egg plant called Solanum aethiopicum.
Though often egg shaped, there are many varieties coming in shapes ranging from round, flat, to fusiform. They could also come in various colors, ranging from pink, white, yellow, lavender, black or navy blue, stripped or unstripped. They taste from bland to sweet or slightly bitter, and find use in preparation of stews, vegetable sauces for eating rice, plantain, yam or other tubers and are often used in soups too.
Whether you are in Yeji market in Ghana or Oshodi market in Lagos Nigeria, garden eggs are a sure commodity to find in any African food market.
From Cotonou to Harare, Mozambique to Senegal, this fruit is a highly valued delicacy and constituent of the African food. The story and listing of African foods would in fact be totally incomplete without mentioning these vegetable Plant!
They also represent fertility and blessing. It is thus not uncommon to find them served during wedding ceremonies across the continent.
Called igba or ikan amongst the Yoruba's of Nigeria, it is referred to as ngilo in Swahili and nakasuga or nakati in Uganda.
Even though garden egg is generally said not to contain huge amount of protein and other nutrients, it is low in sodium, low in calories and very rich in high dietary fibre. It is also high in potassium, a necessary salt that helps in maintaining the function of the heart.
Without any exaggeration, this is the perfect recipe for achieving weight loss within a short period of time. It is also good for diabetics because of it's very low calorie content.
because of the meaty feeling of garden eggs when eaten in soups, it is often used as a substitute for meat and fish.
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