Eggplant Omelet (Tortang Talong) YUM!!!

Eggplant Omelet (Tortang Talong)

This is a common Filipino food, I'm not sure if other countries also make this kind of omelet. Most Filipinos tasted this food, this is one of my favorite dish that my mom cooks, especially when my aunt in Bicol sends us eggplants (a lot of it - 5 kilos or so). Mom first tasted this when Dad's mother cooked it for her, since she told her that she hasn't tasted the dish.

The eggplant is first cleaned using tap water. It is then grilled, others use the traditional griller found all over the country, others use torch, my mom uses the electric stove, she just let the eggplant sit on top of it and just flip it every 3 minutes, if the eggplant is of good quality, it will soften in about 20 minutes, but since most eggplants today are infested with worms (uod), it takes more than thirty minutes to completely make it soft enough. The worms in the eggplants are not harmful, its even nutritious enough that it can be a meal in itself (but I would reserve that for another entry). Grilling/torching the eggplant using any of those techniques I've mentioned doesn't affect the taste, its more on which method is more convenient for you. after grilling the eggplants, it is then peeled, we don't need the peelings so we discard it. Then using a common fork, press the eggplant to an almost flat oblong. We then dip it in a seasoned beaten eggs (1 medium size egg can coat 1 medium size eggplant), then fry it. Since the eggplants were already grilled, you only need to wait for the beaten eggs to be cooked, others prefer steaming the egplants before frying it, but that's not our style.. :))

Anyways, if you haven't tasted this dish, then you should find a canteen (carinderia) and ask for it! You won't be disappointed. If you are, however, from a far away land, and planning to visit the Philippines, you shouldn't miss the opportunity to taste this!