What happens if you don't salt eggplant?

If you don't salt eggplant, it may not necessarily turn out bitter. Sara Jenkins, a chef and owner of Porsena in New York City, believes salting is unnecessary because most eggplants are bred not to have that kind of bitterness. The only exception is when you deep fry it, as salting it first can help make it less greasy. Jenkins soaks the slices in a bowl of water with a couple of tablespoons of salt for about 30-45 minutes before frying. She just cuts up the eggplant, tosses the pieces with olive oil, and starts cooking if she's not frying it. She has rarely found an eggplant that is so bitter that it needs salting. The claim that eggplant needs to be salted to remove bitterness is reminiscent of a time when eggplants were more bitter. Today, eggplants are bred to have less bitterness, making salting unnecessary in most cases.