African Bitter Ball (Turkey Berry / Pea Eggplant)

The pictured clustered, pea-sized fruits resemble turkey berry or pea eggplant, a bitter nightshade vegetable used in African, Thai, Indian, and Caribbean cuisines.

Back to home

How it compares to Common eggplant

Turkey berries are tiny, seedy, firmer, and far more bitter than common eggplant. They're cooked into strongly flavored soups, curries, and stews rather than eaten fresh.

Storage & handling

Only eat fruit sold or harvested as a positively identified edible crop; several wild nightshades look similar and may be poisonous.
Official agricultural guidance warns that immature turkey berries may contain toxic glycoalkaloids capable of causing gastrointestinal or neurological symptoms.
Do not use the image alone to identify a wild plant. Wash market-supplied fruit, remove stems, and cook thoroughly according to a trusted traditional method.

Good to know

Turkey berry (Solanum torvum) is so hardy that farmers graft eggplant and tomato plants onto its roots the tough rootstock resists soil-borne disease and can boost yields by 30–40%.
The pea-sized berries grow in clusters on a spiny shrub that can reach about 13 feet tall.
It's used in traditional medicine across Africa, Asia, and the Americas, and is rich in fiber, minerals, and plant compounds.

3 Ways to Cook African Bitter Ball (Turkey Berry / Pea Eggplant)

Ghanaian Turkey Berry StewCooked and lightly crushed turkey berries simmered in a rich tomato-onion sauce.+

Ingredients

2 cups positively identified edible turkey berries
2 tablespoons palm or vegetable oil
1 chopped onion
3 chopped tomatoes
1 hot pepper
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 cup cooked beans or smoked fish, optional
Salt

Instructions

Wash the turkey berries and remove every stem.
Boil them in fresh water until tender, then drain and lightly crush.
Heat oil and cook the onion until softened.
Add tomatoes, pepper, ginger, and salt and cook into a thick sauce.
Add optional beans or fish and the crushed berries.
Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes and serve with rice, yam, or plantain.

Recipe adapted from Ghanaian Turkey Berry Cooking Tradition

Thai Green Curry with Pea EggplantPea eggplants simmered in aromatic coconut curry with vegetables and basil.+

Ingredients

1 cup positively identified pea eggplant or turkey berries
2 tablespoons green curry paste
1 can coconut milk
1 cup sliced vegetables or chicken
1 tablespoon fish sauce or soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
Thai basil

Instructions

Wash the berries, remove stems, and lightly crush a few so they absorb the curry.
Cook the curry paste in the thick portion of the coconut milk until fragrant.
Add the remaining coconut milk and the vegetables or chicken.
Add berries, fish sauce, and sugar.
Simmer until the berries and other ingredients are fully cooked.
Stir in Thai basil and serve with rice.

Recipe adapted from Hot Thai Kitchen

Indian-Style Turkey Berry Tamarind CurryA tangy, spicy curry that balances the berry's natural bitterness.+

Ingredients

2 cups positively identified turkey berries
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 chopped onion
2 minced garlic cloves
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon chile powder
2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate
2 cups water
Salt

Instructions

Wash, stem, and lightly crush the berries.
Heat oil, add mustard seeds, and let them pop.
Add onion and garlic and cook until softened.
Stir in turmeric and chile powder for 30 seconds.
Add berries, tamarind, water, and salt.
Cover and simmer until the berries are tender and the sauce is reduced, then serve with rice.

Recipe adapted from South Indian Sundakkai Cooking Tradition

Want African Bitter Ball (Turkey Berry / Pea Eggplant) in your box?

Every Belle Nature CSA box is grown in Farmington, MN, harvested within 24 hours of delivery, and comes with recipes like these. Order one-time, weekly, or biweekly for the Twin Cities cancel anytime.

Choose Your Box See Pricing

A CSA farm in Farmington, MN delivering farm-fresh, seasonal vegetable boxes across Minneapolis, St. Paul & the Twin Cities metro.

● ◎ ♥ ✉

Shop

Learn