Eggplant is a dark-purple vegetable that is related to tomatoes, sweet peppers and potatoes. Eggplants are low in calories, have no fat or cholesterol, and contain essential nutrients, such as potassium, iron and folate. There are many ways to prepare and serve eggplant, but one of the most popular is to lightly season it and steam it. You can save yourself a lot of preparation and cooking time by steaming your eggplant in the microwave.

Wash the eggplant by rinsing it under running water.

Cut the ends off and slice the eggplant into thick, round slices. How thick you cut your slices is a matter of personal preference. It will also determine how long you have to steam your eggplant. A good range of thickness is between 1/3 to 1 inch.

Place the eggplant slices into your microwave safe dish and add just enough water to cover them.

Sprinkle any seasons you like, such as salt and pepper, on the eggplant slices.

Cover the dish and put it in the microwave on high for four to eight minutes, depending on how well done you want it to be. Thick slices will need a little more time to cook all the way through.