Japanese eggplant, also known as nasu in Japanese, is a smaller and more slender version of the more familiar western style of eggplant. Its colour is also a paler purple, with some streaks of white near the top.
Before 1868, curry was not part of the Japanese diet. For years, Japan had closed its doors to the outside, and as a result, curry and other foreign influences were not introduced to the country until it reopened its doors to the world in 1868.
Before soy sauce became a preferred seasoning in Japan, there was salt.
One of the original sources of salt in Japan was from animals’ intestines. Another was salt drawn for the sea. However, it was scarce and did not keep for long, so sea salt was commonly mixed with something else that could prolong its shelf life.