Seremban : Terung Telunjuk

There are numerous varieties of terung.  Different varieties have different size, shape, and colour.   larger varieties weighing up to 1 kg.   Colours vary from white to yellow, green to dark purple, or with a colour gradient or strips.  Shapes come in round, oval, elongated, cylindrical etc.

Terung telunjuk, or also called terung kuning is a variety of S. melongena found in Malesia.  It is about 10cm in length, with ±3cm diameter.  Colour is light green with white stripes at bottom   when immature, turn to yellow upon ripening.   Nevertheless, the flower is brilliantly purple in colour, same as flowers of other varieties.    

Solanum melongena - terung telunjuk

Terung (Malay) is a Solanum melongena of the nightshade family ( Solanaceae ).    It is known as eggplant for its resemblance of goose or hen’s egg.  It is also known as melongene, aubergine, brinjal, garden egg or guinea squash.

There are numerous varieties of terung.  Different varieties have different size, shape, and colour.   larger varieties weighing up to 1 kg.   Colours vary from white to yellow, green to dark purple, or with a colour gradient or strips.  Shapes come in round, oval, elongated, cylindrical etc.

It is divided into 3 major varieties : S. melongena var esculentum, the common terung ; S. melongena var depressum , the dwaft terung ; and S. melongena var serpentium, the snake terung.  In addition, a lot of subspecies and cultivar have been named.

Terung telunjuk, or also called terung kuning is a variety of S. melongena found in Malesia.  It is about 10cm in length, with ±3cm diameter.  Colour is light green with white stripes at bottom when immature, turn to yellow upon ripening.   Nevertheless, the flower is brilliantly purple in colour, same as flowers of other varieties.    

WEST-meet-EAST 茄

茄，常称茄子，广东人称为矮瓜，江浙人称为落苏。梵语称之为vātiga-gama，阿拉伯语为al-baðinjān 、波斯语为bâdenjân，希腊语为μελιτζάνα。在它的原产地印度名为Brinjal，马来群岛为terong。欧美等国名称各异：aubergine (法国)，albechigo (西班牙)， beringela (葡萄牙)，melanzana (意大利)，eggplant (美国，澳洲)， melongene、meloongen (Caribbean)。

茄子学名Solanum melongena，属茄科一年生草本或半灌木植物。花紫色。果紫色或紫黑色，也有淡绿色或白色品种。形状有圆、椭圆、长形等。

茄子源产于印度，公元4-5世纪传入中国。宋代称为落苏。元代培养出长形茄子。清朝末年，长茄被引入日本。13世纪，茄子由中东传入地中沿岸。约16世纪，方传入欧洲。

茄子含有丰富的蛋白质、脂肪、碳水化合物、维生素P、钙、磷、铁等。不可生吃，亦不宜长时间高温烹调。

番茄，别名西红柿、洋柿子、古名六月柿、喜报三元。南美阿兹特克人 (Aztec) 称之为 xitomatl, 演变成今日tomato一词。

番茄学名 Lycopersicum esculentum，属茄科一年生或多年生草本植物。花黄色。果未熟时青色，熟时橙黄或鲜红色。形球状或扁球状。肉质多汁。

番茄源于南美秘鲁 (Peru) 高原。当地原著民采番茄叶入药。不过绿叶有毒，常导致食物中毒，以至人们对它色泽妖艳的果子敬而远之。15世纪，西班牙发现新大陆，把番茄引入欧洲。17世纪，已有以番茄为菜肴 ，而在意大利成了意大利面的主要食材。西班牙人也把番茄引入菲律宾，再由此传入亚洲各地。

番茄含有丰富的胡萝卜素、维生素C和B族维生素。生吃能补充维生素C，熟食能补充抗氧化剂。盛夏清暑热，把番茄当水果生吃为佳。烹调番茄时不宜长时高温加热，因红萝卜素遇热容易分解，失去营养。

不过脾胃虚寒及月经期间的妇女不宜生吃番茄。未成熟的青色番茄含有毒龙癸碱，味苦涩，多食可导致中毒，出现头晕、恶心、周身不适、呕吐、全身疲乏，甚至死亡。亦不宜空腹食用，可导致腹痛、胃不适、胃胀痛。