Tortang talong

Tortang talong, also known as eggplant omelette,[1] is a fritter from Filipino cuisine made by pan-frying grilled whole eggplants dipped in an egg mixture.[2][3] It is a popular breakfast and lunch meal in the Philippines. A common variant of tortang talong is rellenong talong, which is stuffed with meat, seafood, and/or vegetables.

Tortang talong
Top: Tortang talong with calamansi;
Bottom: Rellenong talong from Cebu stuffed with ground meat and vegetables
Alternative nameseggplant omelette, tortalong, torta talong
Coursemain course, side dish
Place of originPhilippines
Serving temperatureWarm
Main ingredientseggplant, eggs, salt
Variationsrellenong talong
Similar dishespoqui poqui

Etymology

The name tortang talong means "eggplant omelette"; from a suffixed form of torta ("omelette" or "flat cake"), and talong (eggplant).[4] The name is sometimes shortened to tortalong.[5]

Description

The basic tortang talong recipe involves first grilling the whole eggplant until the flesh is soft and the skin becomes charred and almost black. This can be done in a charcoal grill, a baking pan, or over a direct flame while wrapped in aluminum foil (like on a gas stove). The grilling gives the eggplant a characteristic smoky flavor. The charred skin is then peeled off, although the stalk is retained. The flesh is mashed flat with a fork and dipped into a beaten egg mixture seasoned with a salt and spices to taste. The eggplant is then pan-fried until the outside is golden brown and crispy, while the core remains soft and creamy.[6][7][8][9]

The most common varieties of eggplants in the Philippines are the long and slender purple kind. When larger and rounder eggplant varieties are used, the eggplant may need to be halved or quartered (with the stalk still attached) so they can be grilled more evenly.[10][11]

Tortang talong is most commonly eaten for breakfast or lunch. It is served on white rice, sometimes accompanied with a dipping sauce (like soy sauce, vinegar, banana ketchup, etc.) or additional seasoning (like black pepper, calamansi, or chilis). It can also be served as a side dish to meat dishes.[11][12]

Variations

A notable variant of tortang talong is rellenong talong (also spelled relyenong talong; from Spanish relleno, "stuffed"), commonly anglicized as "stuffed eggplant omelette". This version is cooked in the same way as the regular version, except that the omelette also includes various stuffings of pre-cooked meat (like minced beef or pork or longganisa), seafood, and/or vegetables.[10][13][14][15]

In some versions, the eggplant is not grilled, but is instead boiled, resulting in a softer version that lacks the characteristic smoky flavor of the original dish.[16] Non-traditional restaurant variants may also remove the stalk and puree the eggplant before mixing it with the omelette.[17]

The basic tortang talong recipe as well as rellenong talong stuffed with vegetables are considered vegetarian.[18] A vegan version can also be made using squash, flour, and tofu as an egg substitute.[19]

See also

References
  1. McCarthy, Amy (13 March 2017). "Chef Paul Qui's Forthcoming Restaurant Aqui Will (Probably) Serve Lumpia, Pancit and More". Eater Houston. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  2. Gold, Jonathan (16 October 2017). "Jonathan Gold can't stay away from Grand Central's Sari Sari Store". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  3. Urbano, Chris. The World of Filipino Cooking.
  4. Nicole Ponseca & Miguel Trinidad (2018). I Am a Filipino: And This Is How We Cook. Artisan Books. ISBN 9781579658823.
  5. Edgie Polistico (2017). Philippine Food, Cooking, & Dining Dictionary. Anvil Publishing. ISBN 9786214200870.
  6. Heussaff, Erwan. "Tortang Talong". Tastemade. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  7. Smallwood, April. "A Filipino's Food Pride Runs Deep". Munchies. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  8. Mishan, Ligaya (31 December 2015). "At Manila Social Club in Williamsburg, Rambling Filipino Cuisine". Hungry City. The New York Times. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  9. Stead, Brentley (18 September 2018). "Silog as You're Here: Take Kare-Kare to make Filipino fare Pata of your life". Folio Weekly Magazine. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  10. Reynaldo G. Alejandro (1985). The Philippine Cookbook. Penguin. p. 189. ISBN 9780399511448.
  11. Ludtke, Caz. "Tortang Talong – Eggplant and Pork Omelet". Eugene Daily News. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  12. Merano, Vanjo. "Tortang Talong Recipe". Panlasang Pinoy. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  13. Jennifer Aranas (2015). Tropical Island Cooking: Traditional Recipes, Contemporary Flavors. Tuttle Publishing. p. 143. ISBN 9781462916894.
  14. "Relyenong Talong (Stuffed Eggplant)". Pinoy Kusinero. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  15. "Tortang Talong with Giniling (Eggplant Omelet with Ground Pork)". My Style Recipe. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  16. "Tortang Talong (Eggplant Omelette)". Foxy Folksy. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  17. LaBan, Craig. "Fishtown's Sarvida boldly embraces pungent Pinoy flavors". The Inquirer. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  18. "Tortang Talong with Quorn Grounds". Quorn. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  19. Enriquez, Richgail. "Vegan Filipino Eggplant Omelette". Foodwhirl. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
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