Kathirikkai, baingan in Hindi, is brinjal or eggplant, domesticated in South and South-east Asia, with India among its oldest homes. It comes in purple, green, white and striped forms, from tiny round types to long ones. Ennai kathirikkai, baingan bharta, vangi bath and bagara baingan are classic dishes, and Udupi’s Mattu gulla holds a geographical indication. India placed a moratorium on genetically modified Bt brinjal in 2010.
- Botanical name
- Solanum melongena L.
- Family
- Solanaceae
- Tamil
- Kathirikkai
- Hindi
- Baingan
- Sanskrit
- Vārttāku
- Parts used
- Fruit
- Habit
- Soft shrub grown for its glossy fruit
- Last updated
- 2026-10-27
How to recognise Kathirikkai
It is a bushy, branching shrub, usually knee- to waist-high, often with small spines on stems and leaves.
The leaves are large, broad and oval, with wavy edges and soft, grey, star-shaped hairs.
Purple, star-shaped flowers with yellow anthers grow singly or in small clusters.
The fruit is a glossy berry with a green, often spiny calyx cap.
The flesh is pale and spongy with many small seeds.
Traditional use of Kathirikkai
Kitchen
Small brinjals are stuffed and cooked in oil as ennai kathirikkai in Tamil Nadu and bagara baingan in Hyderabad.
South Indian food practice
Kitchen
Large brinjals are roasted over flame and mashed into baingan bharta.
North Indian food practice
Kitchen
Vangi bath, brinjal rice, is a Karnataka favourite.
Kannada food practice
Modern notes on Kathirikkai
The fruit and shoot borer caterpillar is the main pest and leads to heavy spraying.
Bt brinjal, engineered against this pest, was approved in Bangladesh in 2013 but remains under moratorium in India.
Brinjal skin contains nasunin, an anthocyanin pigment.
Kathirikkai safety
Brinjal is a safe food when cooked. Wash it well, since crops are often heavily sprayed. Some people report itching from certain varieties.
Ecology and sourcing
Its wild relatives grow in South and South-east Asia.
Bees buzz-pollinate its flowers.
It needs warm weather.
Related plants
Also in Solanaceae
Questions about Kathirikkai
Is brinjal the same as eggplant?
Yes.
Where was Kathirikkai domesticated?
In South and South-east Asia.
What is Bt brinjal?
A genetically modified variety resistant to a pest.
Is Kathirikkai related to tomato?
Yes. Both are Solanum.
What is Mattu gulla?
A round green brinjal from Udupi.
Sources
- Solanum melongena L. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q7540 (Solanum melongena)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.