This dish called Tortang Talong in Filipino language, goes waaaay, way back to the days when when I can’t read or write yet or maybe speak. It’s been a regular in my home in the Philippines for as long as I can remember. My mother taught me to make this when I was 9. I perfected it when I was 9 and a half. It has been a family favorite anytime of the day, whether for breakfast with rice or it goes to our lunch boxes. I suppose it’s a popular dish in the Philippines. Well, at least in our family it is.

It’s easy, delicious and with very minimal ingredients, I can’t see why it can’t be a hit in other homes as well.

Ingredients:

• Eggplants – any eggplant size will do but medium works best
• Eggs – depends on how many eggplants you have but I suggest half the number of eggplants you have – i.e., if you have 4 eggplants, use 2 eggs.
• garlic – can be omitted if you despise garlic but I suggest trying with garlic and see from there
• salt and pepper
• cooking oil (I use olive oil)

See what I mean by minimal ingredients?

Procedure:

1. Wash the eggplants well, cut off the tip (not the one with the stem but the other tip) and put small slits around the eggplant using the tip of the knife.

Note: Cutting the tip and putting small slits will help release steam and circulate the heat inside the eggplant uniformly.

2. Grill the eggplants by turning on all sides until the skin turns black.

Note: We have a gas range and I just put on a screen on top and grill my eggplants using direct medium fire.

3. Mince garlic and add to the eggs in another bowl. Sprinkle salt and pepper.

4. Beat the egg mixture.

5. Remember the eggplants? Don’t panic, it’s ok to “burn” them as the skin will go off easier if the skin is completely burned. You will be surprised though that the inside will be unharmed, just soft and cooked and rich in ‘smoked’ aroma.

Remove the eggplants from fire and immediately soak in water. This will allow make ‘skinning’ easier and it will help make the eggplants cooler to the touch. I have noticed that the skin will come off very easily too when soaked with water even for 2 minutes.

6. Flatten the skinned eggplant using a fork.

7. Dip the flattened eggplants to the egg mixture.

8. Heat oil in fying pan over medium heat and gently bring the dipped eggplants closer to the pan and lower them into the heated oil

When one side is cooked golden brown, flip to cook the other side..but you already know that. 🙂

Note: Please note the amount of oil I am using here: very minimal.

9. Take out from the fry pan and serve.

This eggplant omelette will still taste good even hours after it’s been taken out of the fry pan. It goes well with rice, bread (I bring this for lunch along with gluten-free Flax Seed Bread) or by even by itself. This is one of the Philippine dishes my husband looks for when he’s tired of eating Japanese food stuff.

Oh and if you don’t like eggplants, I think it’s time to rethink after trying this recipe.