Tortang Talong (Filipino Eggplant Omelette)

When it comes to tortang talong, many people recall this dish as something their mother/grandmother would lovingly cook for them. It’s an everyday dish that’s known for its simplicity as well as comfort.

Tortang Talong is a Filipino eggplant omelette. Roasted whole eggplant is cooked with an egg mixture, and served with rice. This dish can be enjoyed at any time of day.

Our recipe is a super easy, meat-free version of tortang talong. Read on for the recipe!

What is Tortang Talong

Tortang Talong is an eggplant omelette dish that originated in the Philippines. It’s made by cooking whole eggplant then pan frying in an egg mixture.

The name tortang talong comes from the Tagalog words for “omelette” (torta) and “eggplant” (talong). Tortang talong is served mainly for breakfast, but can also be eaten for lunch or dinner.

Variations of Tortang Talong

Traditional methods involve cooking the eggplant over charcoal until the skin turns black. They would peel off the skin to reveal soft, smoky eggplant inside.

In modern methods, the eggplant is either boiled in water or roasted in the oven. These methods are suitable for a standard kitchen, however the eggplant lacks the smoky flavor from being cooked over charcoal.

In our recipe, we roast the eggplant in the oven. But no matter the method, tortang talong is delicious and easy to cook!

A popular version of this dish is tortang rellenong – stuffed eggplant omelette. Some stuff it with ground pork, seafood, potatoes, or other vegetables. It’s very common to stuff the eggplant with leftovers or whatever creative ingredient comes to mind.

How to Serve Tortang Talong

You can serve tortang talong with a side of rice and condiments such as banana ketchup (catsup), tomato ketchup, or chili sauce.

Additionally, you can add a side of fresh tomato, cucumber, atchara, calamansi, chilis, etc.

Ingredients

• 2 Japanese eggplants
• 4 eggs
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• ¼ cup yellow onion minced
• 4 cloves garlic chopped
• salt & pepper to taste
• oil for cooking

What kind of eggplant should I use for Tortang Talong? Japanese eggplants are the best in terms of flavor and size. They are sweeter than the large American eggplants and hold up well to grilling or roasting.

However if you can’t find Japanese eggplants at your grocery store, you can opt for any other type of eggplant (Chinese eggplant is the most similar.)

And depending on the size and shape of your alternative eggplant, you may have to adjust the bake time. You may also have to cut it down into serving portions, since these omelettes are cooked one serving at a time.

Recipe

Bake and prepare the eggplant

1. Preheat the oven to 375 °F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Use a fork to poke holes in the eggplants, then lightly drizzle with oil.

1. Bake for 30 – 45 min, depending on the size of the eggplant. Remove from oven and let cool.
2. Peel the eggplants (leave the stem on) then flatten with a fork.

Prepare the egg mixture

1. Scramble the eggs. Then combine with oyster sauce, onion, and garlic.

Cook the omelette

1. Heat a pan with oil at medium heat.
2. Pour some of the egg mixture into a shallow dish. Dip the eggplants and add to the pan.

1. Pour about half the remaining egg mixture on top. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, then fold over the sides. Flip then cook another 2 minutes. Repeat for the other eggplant.

1. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice, green onion, tomatoes, cucumber, and ketchup/chili sauce.

Final Thoughts

Each bite provides a forkful of comfort and flavor. Use our recipe to whip up this easy eggplant dish with only 7 simple ingredients!

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References & Further Reading

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tortang_talong

https://www.tasteatlas.com/tortang-talong

https://ediblehi.com/breakfast-traditions-how-history-and-culture-shaped-breakfast-customs-on-maui/

https://www.finecooking.com/article/which-eggplant-is-which#:~:text=Japanese%20eggplant%20are%20slightly%20smaller,garlic%2C%20soy%2C%20and%20ginger.

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