Tortang Dulong
Tortang Dulong is a Filipino fish omelet using silverfish (or also called as noodlefish) in a crispy and tasty dish. You will love its crisp edges and the tender fish meat inside. Done in less than an hour, this is delicious paired with rice and a side of veggies.
This is first published on October 2017 and now updated with new photos.
Tortang Dulong is one of those simple dishes that definitely brings variety to our weekly menu. Crispy edges, tender and meaty along the centers, every bite is delicious. In a way, this is like on ukoy (okoy) but with fewer ingredients.
I have posted this way back, maybe only a few years into blogging. And to this day, the recipe never fails. It is still as fail-proof, delicious and fuss-free like when the first time I made it.
My first encounter with this dish is when I, along with many other young women in their early 20s gathered around our dorm mate as she demonstrated how to make tortang dulong in that tiny dining table of the staff house we all lived in.
She mixed away like she was in her own cooking show. And all of us around her were mesmerized with her cooking prowess. And I think, it is worthy to mention here that, that day may have been very well, the very day that ignited my love for cooking.
What is Dulong?
Dulong are small white fish also known as noodlefish (or silverfish), and they literally look like noodles but with block dots for their eyes. Their shape and size make them perfect ingredients for patties.
Because they are thin and small, they do not take long to cook at all. It is important to watch the dulong patties as you cook them. They can burn easily if you walk away.
Serve this hot with vinegar dipping sauce and a little bit of chili sauce, and trust me you will want to have heaping plates of rice with it!
Pointers for Making Tortang Dulong:
- Silverfish can be found in Asian groceries. If you get frozen, thaw it. Give them a nice squeezing over a strainer to drain the excess water after thawing.
- Heat the oil to 350 F and fry the patties by batch. Do not overcrowd the patties or they will be soggy.
- Use a spoon to scoop the mixture into the pan. This will form small patties for crisper edges.
Let’s Make Fish Omelet
- Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
- Heat about 2 inches of oil in a frying pan. Drop the omelet batter in dollops in the heated oil using spoon.
- Fry until until one side is golden and the edges are crispy. Flip and cook the other side.
- Enjoy with rice, a vinegar dipping sauce and a side of veggies. I love okra with these!
Check out these other savory dishes from the blog:
- Filipino Style Lasagna
- Sweet and Spicy Squid
- Pansit Canton with Sardines
- Burger Steak with Mushroom Gravy
Tortang Dulong (Fish Omelette)
Ingredients
- 450 grams fresh or frozen dulong or silverfish also called noodle fish, see note 1
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 eggs
- 3 tbsp all purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a frying pan.
- In a large bowl, Add the garlic, onion, eggs, flour, and dulong. Mix well by hand or by using two forks.
- Add salt and pepper. To adjust the taste accordingly, fry a small amount of the mixture. Add salt and/or pepper according to your preference.
- Use a spoon to scoop from the mixture and slowly drop them into the heated oil in the pan. Cook for 3-5 minutes on one side until golden and the edges are crisp. Then, flip and cook the other side. (see note 2)
- Drain cooked patties in towel lined plate and serve immediately.
Notes
- Frozen Dulong. If using frozen dulong, thaw it completely then drain in a colander.
- Frying the Omelet. Use a dinner spoon or a slightly bigger one if you prefer. Dropping them in dollops in the oil will create a round patty shape which is what we are going for. Aim to make your circle spread a little bit into a thin layer so the patties cook evenly.
A tasty and crispy fish omelet!