So I noticed the big Aswad fruit was getting a little lighter purple and less shiny, even though it still felt pretty hard, so I picked it last night.
It came in at 2 lbs. 7 oz.
As I feared, it had started getting seedy inside. Despite that, the texture was still very meaty and there was no bitterness at all. I dipped it in panko breadcrumbs and fried half of it and baked the other half. Delicious, despite the fact that I probably should have picked it much earlier. Nice umami flavor. Would make a FANTASTIC grilling eggplant. Very pleased with this variety.
And now I know to go ahead and pick them earlier, even if they're still hard, as they don't turn "bouncy" when ready like other eggplants.