Tortang Talong with Ground Pork is a tasty Filipino omelette made with eggs, eggplants and ground pork. It is tasty and filling, with the roasted egg plants giving the dish so much flavor. Served with rice and ketchup, this is a staple meal back home.
Table of Contents
- Tortang Talong Ingredients
- Tortang Talong with Ground Pork
- Let’s Make It
- Questions About the Recipe
- More Filipino Dishes
People often think that because I write and develop recipes for the blog, our usual menu are always well thought of and Instagram ready. However, that is so far from the truth. Our day to day menu are usually made of simple dishes with a few ingredients like this tortang talong.
Tortang Talong is a Filipino eggplant omelette that is usually made with just eggplants and egg. The eggplants is roasted for a smoky flavor, then it is covered in eggs in a skillet to make a tasty omelette.
In this version, ground pork is added as a filling to make the dish more filling and tasty!
Like my tortang dulong and sweet and spicy squid, this has become my go-to whenever I am stuck for dinner ideas. If you crave something that you can eat alongside heaps and heaps or rice, this is the one! And don’t forget to smother these eggplant omelettes with ketchup!
Tortang Talong Ingredients
- Globe or Chinese Eggplants. Both of these varieties have the perfect size to make omelets. Choose medium sized ones (weighs 250-260 grams each).
- Ground Pork. Simple cooked ground pork fills our eggplant omelet. However, you can also use ground beef or ground chicken if you like.
- Eggs. Eggs envelops our eggplant to make a delicious omelette. We beat the eggs with salt and pepper for a flavorful dish.
- See the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients.
Tortang Talong with Ground Pork
Grilling the Eggplants
- Cook the egg plant over fire in a gas stove or bbq. You want the skin darkened to almost a brown to black color, and the flesh soft.
- You can also roast the egg plants in the oven. Bake it at 400 F for 20-30 minutes, until the skin is charred and the flesh is soft.
- No matter what method you choose, prep the egg plants by washing and patting then dry. Use the tines of a fork to poke several holes on all sides.
The Ground Pork Mixture
- To make the ground pork filling, simply sauté garlic with oil in a small pan. Add the ground pork, tossing occasionally until thoroughly cooked.
- You can also add chopped tomatoes, onions, and scallions to the ground pork mixture.
Let’s Make It
1. Prep the Eggplants. Wash and wipe the eggplants dry. Using the tines of a for, poke several holes all over the eggplants. These holes act as vents to release steam during roasting.
2. Grill, Peel and Mash the Eggplants. Place egg plants on a rack over fire. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the skin on this side is charred. Turn to cook the other sides, repeating the process until the entire skin is charred and the flesh is soft.
3. Dip the eggplants in beaten eggs. Beat the eggs with salt and pepper. Gently dip one eggplant into the beaten eggs.
Allow the roasted eggplants to cool slightly. Then use your hands or forks to peel off the skin. On a wide plate, use a fork to gently mash the eggplants, spreading the flesh a little bit out.
4. Cook the Omelettes.
Heat a wide pan or skillet with about 3-5 tbsp of oil. Once heated, slide the eggplant into the pan. Allow it it to cook until the edges are set.
Spoon about 2-3 tbsp of ground pork into the center of the eggplant. Drizzle about a tablespoon of eggs over the pork. Using a wide spatula, flip the omelet and cook until the edges are crispy.
Repeat the steps with the rest of the eggplants.
Questions About the Recipe
Tortang talong is best served white steamed rice or fried rice. We often have banana ketchup on the sides as a dipping sauce. Along side rice, fried fish can also be served with this staple Filipino dish.
Yes. A basic tortang talong is made of eggplants and egg only. You can either omit the pork or upgrade your omelette by adding extra fillings of your choice. Try minced ham, or chopped shrimp or shredded crab meat.
More Filipino Dishes
Tortang Talong with Ground Pork
Ingredients
- 3 medium globe or Chinese egg plant 25-260 grams each
- ¼ lb ground pork
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup canola oil divided
Instructions
- Wash the egg plants and pat them dry. Using the times of a fork, poke several holes all over the egg plants.
- Over medium heat, place the egg plants on a grill over fire. Let the egg plants roast for five minutes on one side until the skin has softened and the color is deep brown to black. Turn the egg plants to grill the remaining sides, rotating every 5 minutes or so. The flesh must be soft. Remove from heat.
- Once cool to the touch, gently peel off the skin from the egg plants. Allow them to cool completely while you cook the ground pork.
- On a medium pan, heat about 2 tablespoon of cooking oil. Add minced garlic and cook until softened and aromatic. Add the ground pork and cook, tossing occasionally until it is browned and cooked through. Season with ½ tsp of salt. Turn off heat.
- Over medium heat, heat about 3 tablespoon of oil in a wide skillet. Beat 4 eggs in a large bowl. Take one of the egg plant and gently mash it to soften the flesh and spread it out a little bit. Dip the mashed egg plant in the scrambled egg, then gently slide it into the skillet.
- Cook until the edges are set. Gently spoon about 2 tablespoon of ground pork in the center of the egg plant. Pour about 2 tablespoon of egg over the pork. USing a wide spatula ot turner, flip the egg plant. Cook it in the other side until the edges are crisp and golden. Remove from heat.
- Repeat the step with the remaining egg plants. Add more oil to the pan as needed. Serve egg plant omelet with rice and ketchup.
Notes
- Globe egg plants are very common in America, while the Chinese egg plant is widely available in Asia. These two have the perfect size to make an omelette as other varieties are either too big or too small.
- You can also roast the egg plants in the oven if you cannot roast using an open fire. Prep the egg plants as stated in the recipe, then bake at 400 F for 20-30 minutes, turning on all sides to roast evenly.
- If you would like to cover your gas oven for easy cleaning after roasting the egg plants, line the top surface with foil, leaving the burners exposed.Â
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