Quick answer

Brinjal is the South Asian English name for aubergine, called eggplant in North American English. Botanically it is Solanum melongena. The Great Kathmandu menu uses the spelling “Bringal” for aubergine cooked with herbs and “Aloo Bringal” for potatoes and aubergine cooked with herbs. Both are marked vegetarian and gluten-free.

British name
Aubergine
South Asian name
Brinjal
North American name
Eggplant
Botanical name
Solanum melongena
Menu spellings
Bringal and Aloo Bringal
Printed markers
Both vegetarian and gluten-free

Why is aubergine called brinjal or eggplant?

Cambridge Dictionary records “aubergine” as the UK term and “eggplant” as the US term for the fruit of Solanum melongena; “brinjal” is familiar across South Asian English. These are naming differences, not different species.

Our menu uses the spelling Bringal. The dish description removes ambiguity by saying aubergine, and we preserve the restaurant's printed name rather than silently renaming it.

The name does not identify a single recipe. Kew records aubergine used in many cooked forms, while the particular cut and method belong to each dish.

What kind of plant is aubergine?

Kew identifies aubergine as Solanum melongena, a member of the nightshade family alongside tomato and potato. The edible part is botanically a fruit and appears in many shapes, sizes and colours—not only the large glossy purple form common in British supermarkets.

Kew places domestication broadly in the region between India, Myanmar and China and cites written evidence of cultivation in Sanskrit and Chinese agricultural literature around two thousand years ago. The exact story is complex, involving domestication from wild relatives and later movement through Africa, Europe and the wider world.

Calling aubergine a nightshade does not make the ripe cultivated fruit equivalent to poisonous wild relatives. Plant families contain diverse species; edible use must be assessed at species and plant-part level.

Brinjal is not a different vegetable from aubergine—the name changes, while the cooking creates the dish.

Why does aubergine absorb so much flavour?

University of Illinois Extension explains that aubergine flesh contains tiny air pockets that take up oil as it cooks. It also notes that salting draws out water and reduces those air spaces, changing how much oil the pieces absorb. Cut size and cooking method further shape the result.

The same Extension guidance says salting for bitterness is generally unnecessary for modern varieties, although salting may still be used for texture or oil control. That is guidance, not a rule for every variety or recipe.

Aubergine's structure allows cooking liquid and seasoning to move through its softening flesh. This is general context: our menu does not publish the precise cut, oil, salting step or method used in either house dish.

Are the aubergine dishes vegan or gluten-free?

Bringal and Aloo Bringal are both marked vegetarian and gluten-free. Neither is marked vegan, so we do not infer vegan suitability from the vegetables alone. Cooking fat and other ingredients matter even when the headline ingredients are plants.

If you have coeliac disease, allergies or a vegan requirement, tell the team before ordering and confirm current preparation and cross-contact information. The Food Standards Agency recommends written allergen information supported by conversation. Our vegetarian and vegan guide focuses on the menu's explicit markers rather than assumptions.

Common questions about brinjal

Are brinjal and aubergine the same?

Yes. Eggplant is another English name for the same cultivated species.

What does aloo brinjal mean?

It means a potato-and-aubergine dish. Our Aloo Bringal is described as both vegetables cooked with herbs.

Is your Bringal hot?

Neither aubergine dish has a printed heat rating. Ask the team if chilli sensitivity matters.

Can I order Bringal as a side?

Yes. Bringal has side and main prices; Aloo Bringal is listed at one price.

Source notes

Reviewed 19 September 2026. Where this guide mentions our restaurant, details are checked against the current dine-in menu. Wider cultural, historical and ingredient claims are checked against the cited sources below. How we research and correct our guides.