Tortang Talong (Eggplant Omelet)

Tortang Talong (Eggplant Omelet)

A staple of Filipino home cooking, tortang talong (pronounced TORE-tahng tuh-LONG) is one of the most resourceful, ingenious egg dishes in the world. Why is it so satisfying to flatten a grilled eggplant with a fork, dip it in beaten egg and pan-fry it? Though the eggplant omelet itself is lovely on its own, its tablemates — a bowl of rice, a squirt of banana ketchup and some kind of relish or salad — turn the dish into a full experience. Everyone’s house condiment is different: For some, that’s ketchup, or soy sauce with citrus, or maybe a spiced vinegar with chile and garlic or onion; for others, a cane vinegar-doused relish of tomato and onion. Black pepper and garlic can be added to the omelet mixture for extra flavor, but with this dish, keeping things simple is what makes the eggplant and egg combo shine.

Yield: 2 servings

2 Asian eggplants (about 10 ounces total), pierced all over with a fork

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon fish sauce or pinch of salt

Canola or vegetable oil

Steamed jasmine rice, banana ketchup and tomato-onion salad, for serving (see Tips)

Set a rack about 4 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler to high. Place the eggplants on a sheet pan and broil them until tender and darkened all over, flipping them halfway through, about 20 minutes total. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, cornstarch and fish sauce until smooth and frothy. Peel the eggplants, keeping the stems intact. Use a fork to mash them down until flat. Holding the eggplants by their stems, dip both sides generously into the egg mixture and let sit for a few seconds to soak.

In a large (10- to 12-inch) well-seasoned cast iron or nonstick skillet, add enough oil to generously cover the bottom (at least 2 tablespoons) and heat over medium until shimmering. Lift the eggplants out of the egg mixture, letting some excess egg drip off, then add to the hot skillet. Fry until crisp on both sides, about 4 minutes total. (If you’d like, you can pour any remaining egg mixture around the eggplants in the last 2 minutes of cooking for extra lacey, crispy bits.) Transfer to a paper towel to drain, then plate. Serve alongside rice, a squirt of banana ketchup and the tomato-onion salad.

Tips: Banana ketchup is a slightly sweeter ketchup with more of a rounded fruit flavor. It is actually made of bananas! You can find it online, at Whole Foods and in many Asian supermarkets. What works nicely, in a pinch, is a squirt of regular ketchup stirred together with a little brown sugar and fish sauce.

Tortang talong tastes fantastic alongside a simple salad-cum-relish of sliced tomatoes and onions (any color) or scallions, tossed with a dash of cane vinegar or other white vinegar. It’s something to balance out the richness of the fried eggplant.