Rellenong Talong (Filipino Stuffed Eggplant Omelet)

About This Recipe

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.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4long Asian eggplants
• 300 gground pork
• 1onion(diced)
• 2 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1tomato(diced)
• 1 tspsalt(for filling)
• 1/2 tspblack pepper
• 4eggs(beaten)
• 3 tbspvegetable oil(for frying)
• 1/3 cupbanana ketchup(for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Grill the eggplant

   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.

2. 2

   Flatten

   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.

3. 3

   Make the filling

   Cook onion until soft, add garlic and ground pork, browning until cooked through, then stir in tomato, salt and pepper.

4. 4

   Stuff the eggplant

   Spread the cooked filling generously over each flattened eggplant.

5. 5

   Dip in egg

   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.

6. 6

   Fry

   Heat oil in a skillet and fry the egg-coated eggplants, 3-4 minutes per side, until the egg is set and golden.

7. 7

   Serve

   Serve hot with banana ketchup on the side.

Variations

• •

  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.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container; reheat gently in a skillet, since the egg coating can turn rubbery if microwaved.

Frequently Asked Questions