Tortang Talong Recipe

Tortang Talong is usually served with steamed rice, though garlic fried rice works too. This Filipino eggplant omelet is made by grilling the eggplant whole, peeling off the charred skin, flattening it with a fork, and frying it with beaten egg. You only need eggplant, eggs, salt, and cooking oil. I sometimes add ground pork when I want a heavier version, but I cook the plain Tortang Talong more often. It is simple, filling, and perfect for days when I want a satisfying meal without meat.

Grilled eggplant holds plenty of water, so let it rest on a plate for a few minutes after peeling. This helps drain the excess liquid so the beaten egg coats the eggplant better and stays in place while cooking.

Once the eggplant is in the pan, leave it undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat. Let the egg set completely underneath before flipping. This helps the omelet stay together and brown evenly on both sides.

What is Tortang Talong?

Tortang Talong is a Filipino eggplant omelet made by grilling whole eggplant, peeling off the charred skin, flattening the flesh, and pan frying it in beaten egg until golden brown. The name describes the dish plainly. Torta means omelet or flat cake, while talong is the Filipino word for eggplant. Some people shorten the whole thing to tortalong. In English it usually shows up on menus as eggplant omelet.

It belongs to the wider family of Filipino tortas, alongside tortang giniling and tortang dulong. The word came into the language through Spanish, but the way Filipinos prepare it is distinctly local. Instead of chopping the vegetable into the egg, the eggplant is cooked whole over live coals or a stove flame, and the smoke it picks up gives the dish much of its flavor. The stem stays attached because it gives you a handle while flattening, coating, and frying the eggplant.

It is commonly served for breakfast or lunch with rice, and the short ingredient list makes it approachable for beginner cooks. Put a filling inside and it becomes rellenong talong. Left plain it is a cheap meal that still feels like a proper one. Rice and banana ketchup are enough on the side.

Ingredients

• Chinese eggplant – Look for the long slim purple ones, roughly 6 to 8 inches. They soften all the way through in about 10 minutes over a flame, and the skin peels off in sheets instead of scraps.
• Eggs – One egg per eggplant is the ratio I use. Four eggs for four eggplants coat each one and still leave enough to spoon over the bare spots while it fries.
• Salt – About half a teaspoon for the whole bowl of beaten egg. Keep it on the light side if you are serving this with banana ketchup or something salty like longganisa.
• Cooking oil – Start with about a tablespoon per eggplant and top it up between batches. The pan should look slick, not deep.

Chinese eggplant works best here because it has thinner skin and fewer seeds than the fat globe kind, which is why it turns creamy rather than spongy under the egg. It is sometimes labeled Japanese or Asian eggplant. Filipino and Asian groceries carry it year round, and most large supermarkets now stock it beside the regular eggplant. If your store only has the globe kind, see the substitutions below.

1. Grill the eggplants directly over a gas flame or on a grill. Turn them occasionally until the skin is charred and the flesh becomes soft.
2. Place the grilled eggplants on a plate and let them cool until easy to handle.
3. Peel off the charred skin while keeping the stems attached.
4. Arrange each eggplant on a flat surface. Gently flatten the flesh using a fork, spreading it into a wide oval shape without breaking it apart.

Flatten from the stem downward in long strokes rather than mashing straight down. The flesh spreads into an even fan that way and stays connected at the top. Pour off any liquid that pools on the plate.

1. Crack the eggs into a wide bowl. Add the salt and beat until well combined.
2. Dip one flattened eggplant into the beaten egg. Make sure both sides are coated.
3. Heat cooking oil in a pan over medium heat. Place the coated eggplant in the pan. Spoon a little more beaten egg over any uncovered areas.
4. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the bottom is golden brown and the egg has set. Carefully turn it over and cook the other side for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Lift one edge with the spatula first and only turn it when the egg underneath moves as a single sheet. Make sure no runny patches remain before removing it from the pan.

1. Transfer the cooked tortang talong to a serving plate. Repeat the process with the remaining eggplants, adding more oil as needed.
2. Serve with warm rice and banana ketchup.

Rest each piece on a wire rack for a minute instead of stacking them. Stacked pieces trap steam and the crisp edge goes soft. Let the oil heat up again before adding the next eggplant.

What to Serve with Tortang Talong

• Sinangag – Garlic fried rice, which I make in the morning using whatever rice was left from dinner the night before. Toasted garlic and smoky eggplant sit well together.
• Banana ketchup – The standard at my table. It is sweeter and less sharp than tomato ketchup, and it cuts through the fried egg.
• Skinless Longganisa – Sweet Filipino sausage, for the mornings when one eggplant each is not going to be enough.
• Daing Silog – Marinated fried bangus with garlic rice and egg, if you want to build a full silog spread around it.
• Spiced vinegar – For anyone who finds banana ketchup too sweet. Vinegar with crushed garlic and a bird’s eye chili is the usual answer.
• Sliced tomatoes and salted egg – A cold, salty side that keeps the plate from getting too rich.

Storage

Tortang Talong keeps for up to 3 days, though it is honestly best straight out of the pan. Store the pieces flat so they do not fold over and turn soggy against each other.

• Refrigerator: Keep in an airtight container, laid flat. If you need to stack them, place parchment paper between the layers.
• Freezer: I would skip freezing this one. Eggplant turns watery and mushy after thawing, and the egg coating goes rubbery.
• Reheating: Warm it in a dry nonstick pan over medium low heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side. A microwave works when you are rushing, but it softens the crust completely.

More Eggplant Recipes

• Eggplant and Sardine Omelet – The same torta with sautéed canned sardines spooned over the top for a more filling meal
• Tortang Talong with Crab Meat – A richer version worth making when you have fresh crab meat on hand
• Ensaladang Talong – Grilled eggplant served cold with tomatoes and onion, good beside anything fried
• Crispy Eggplant Fries – Breaded eggplant strips with a dipping sauce, made for merienda
• Tortang Dulong – Another Filipino torta made with tiny silver fish instead of eggplant
• Eggplant Parmesan – Baked eggplant with marinara and cheese

• Chinese eggplant – Japanese eggplant is the closest match and needs no adjustment. Globe eggplant works too, but grill it for 15 to 20 minutes instead of 10. Once it is grilled and peeled, cut it in half lengthwise.
• Eggs – Nothing else holds this together, so I would not swap them. If you want fuller coverage, beat five eggs instead of four for the same four eggplants.
• Salt – A teaspoon of fish sauce in place of the salt makes the egg noticeably more savory. Cut back if your side dish is already salty.
• Cooking oil – Any neutral oil is fine. Butter browns too fast at the heat this needs.
• Banana ketchup – Regular tomato ketchup, spiced vinegar, or a small spoon of bagoong on the side all work.

Tortang Talong is simple, filling, and easy to make with just four ingredients. Grill the eggplant until the skin is well charred and the flesh is completely soft before peeling it. I like serving this with hot rice and banana ketchup on the side.