Tortang Talong
Almusal at Any Hour (The Silog Rhythms)
Growing up in the diaspora, you learn that authenticity isn't always about cooking over an open wood fire in the province; it's about the feeling a dish gives you when you are tired after a long day and just want the taste of home. Tortang Talong is the ultimate Filipino comfort food, a smoky, custardy, crispy-edged eggplant omelet that demands no pretense. The secret to this dish is a deep, smoky char on the eggplant. Since most of us are cooking in suburban American kitchens with electric stoves and sensitive smoke detectors, a high-heat broiler hack delivers all the authentic smokiness with a fraction of the mess. Serve this cheap, simple, beautiful thing with a mountain of garlic rice and a heavy squeeze of banana ketchup.
Ingredients
- Chinese or Japanese eggplants4 med
- eggs4 large
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- freshly ground black pepper1/4 tsp
- fish sauce1 tsp
- neutral cooking oil4 tbsp
Method
- 01
Char the eggplants under a high broiler.
Preheat the oven broiler to high and position the top rack about six inches from the heat. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, prick each eggplant four to five times with a fork to prevent bursting, and broil for fifteen to twenty minutes, turning occasionally until the skins are completely blackened and blistered.
- 02
Steam the eggplants to loosen their skins.
Transfer the hot eggplants to a plate and cover them immediately with a large bowl to trap the steam for five to ten minutes. Once cool enough to handle, carefully peel away the blackened skin using your fingers, leaving the stems entirely intact to use as handles.
- 03
Gently mash the peeled eggplants into a flat paddle shape.
Place the peeled eggplants on a cutting board and use the back of a fork to gently press down on the flesh, fanning it out into a wide teardrop shape without breaking it apart.
- 04
Vigorously beat the eggs and seasonings.
In a wide, shallow bowl, crack the eggs and add the salt, pepper, and fish sauce. Beat vigorously with a fork until the mixture is very frothy, which creates the omelet's signature crispy, lacy edges.
- 05
Coat the eggplants in the egg mixture and fry in hot oil.
Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Holding an eggplant by its stem, dip it into the beaten eggs to coat completely, let the excess drip off, and lay it into the hot oil, spooning a little extra egg mixture over the top to fill in any gaps.
- 06
Fry until deeply golden brown and flip using the stem.
Fry for two to three minutes until the bottom is deeply golden and crispy, then grab the stem with one hand, slide a spatula underneath with the other, and confidently flip it over. Cook for another two minutes until the egg is cooked through, transfer to a paper towel, and repeat with the remaining eggplants.
Notes
Do not substitute with globe eggplants.
Stick to the slender Asian varieties. American globe eggplants hold too much water, refuse to hold their shape, and will ruin the texture of the dish.
Upgrade with leftover ground meat.
If you have leftover cooked ground meat, like Filipino giniling or sautéed ground pork, press a few spoonfuls into the wet egg mixture facing up just before flipping the eggplant in the pan.
The essential condiments.
Tortang talong is best eaten hot, right out of the skillet, with garlic rice and a heavy squeeze of banana ketchup.
From Cook Filipino in America.