Grilled eggplant flattened and stuffed with ground meat, dipped in egg and pan-fried, a comforting Filipino home-style dinner.
Rellenong talong takes long Asian eggplants, grills them whole until the skin chars and the flesh softens, then carefully flattens them while keeping the stem intact, creating a natural pocket for a savory ground meat filling. The seasoned ground pork or beef filling is packed into the flattened eggplant, which is then dipped whole into beaten egg and pan-fried, the egg forming a light, custardy coating around the smoky eggplant and meat. Served with a side of banana ketchup or a simple soy-vinegar dip, rellenong talong is a comforting example of Filipino home cooking's knack for transforming simple vegetables into something substantial and satisfying.
Serves 4
Grill the whole eggplants over an open flame or under a broiler, turning, until the skin is charred and the flesh is soft, about 10-12 minutes.
Once cool enough to handle, peel most of the charred skin (leaving the stem intact) and gently flatten each eggplant with a fork, keeping it whole.
Cook onion until soft, add garlic and ground pork, browning until cooked through, then stir in tomato, salt and pepper.
Spread the cooked filling generously over each flattened eggplant.
Dip each stuffed eggplant into the beaten egg, coating both sides.
Handle the grilled eggplant gently while flattening and dipping — it's delicate after grilling and can tear if handled roughly.
Heat oil in a skillet and fry the egg-coated eggplants, 3-4 minutes per side, until the egg is set and golden.
Serve hot with banana ketchup on the side.
Handle the grilled eggplant gently while flattening and coating it in egg, since it becomes quite delicate after grilling and can tear.
Keep the stem intact when peeling the charred skin — this gives you a handle for dipping and flipping the eggplant.
Fry over moderate heat so the egg coating sets fully without burning before the filling heats through.
A version with ground beef instead of pork is equally traditional.
Adding raisins to the filling gives a touch of sweetness in some regional variations.
A vegetarian version fills the eggplant with sauteed mushrooms and vegetables instead of meat.
Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container; reheat gently in a skillet, since the egg coating can turn rubbery if microwaved.
Rellenong talong is a classic of Filipino home cooking, its technique of stuffing a whole grilled eggplant reflecting the resourceful, flavor-layering approach common throughout Filipino vegetable dishes.
Long Asian eggplants work best for this dish since they're easier to flatten while keeping the stem intact; regular eggplant can be sliced and stuffed differently if needed.
A broiler works well too — place the eggplants close to the heat source and turn until the skin is fully charred and the flesh is soft.
It was likely handled too roughly, or wasn't grilled long enough to fully soften — handle gently and make sure the flesh is completely tender before flattening.
Per serving (260g / 9.2 oz) · 4 servings total
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