Grilled Eggplant Pancakes (Tortang Talong)

This irresistible and very more-ish grilled eggplant pancakes are crisp at the edges, soft in the middle and filled with shallots and aromatic char grilled eggplants. In the Philippines, where I grew up, these are called tortang talong (eggplant cooked with eggs). Torta means little cakes in Spanish. It is like an omelette in the sense that it’s an egg dish with a filling but it looks more like a pan cake. Omelette or pan cake, it’s delicious whatever you want to call it.

Usually served as a vegetable dish to go with rice and any meat dish, these are absolutely delicious as a starter. Very easy to make and comes together in no time. It goes very well with sweet chilli dipping sauce or a splash of soy sauce and sriracha mayonnaise.

What you need to make it..

• Eggplant- I prefer using the long and slim Japanese-variety only because they are easier to grill and cooks quicker. Choose eggplants that are firm but not too hard, otherwise it will be full of seeds.
• Eggs – To bind it all together
• Toppings – Shallots , garlic chives or green onions, finely sliced Spanish onion, sliced chilli if you like it spicy
• Dipping Sauce – Sweet Chilli Sauce, sriracha mayonnaise, splash of soy sauce with lemon and sesame seeds

How to make Grilled Eggplant Pancakes

• Grill the eggplants until skin is charred and flesh is soft. Let them cool then remove skin. You can remove the stalk if you want, however I prefer to keep them as I think it looks nice. It’s also like a handle when you are cooking it and helps in keeping the eggplant whole and in one piece. If you do remove the stalks, just re shape the eggplants when you’re pan frying. If you don’t have a grill, you can also microwave the eggplants until they are soft, however you won’t have the smoky flavour.
• Carefully flatten each eggplant with a fork, making sure they don’t break apart and remain in one piece.
• Whisk eggs with a fork and season with salt and pepper.
• Hold the eggplant by its stalk, and dip it fully into the beaten eggs then fry in shallow oil on medium heat. Cook for 2 minutes on one side or until golden brown.
  
• While one side is cooking, top the eggplant with the toppings of sliced onion and shallots or chives as per photo.
  
• Use a slotted spatula to turn the pancake over and cook the other side until golden.
• Repeat for the remaining eggplants
• Serve with dipping sauces.

Eggplant Pancake(Tortang Talong)

Recipe by acmowlai

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Appetizers, Pinoy Favourites, VegetarianCuisine: Filipino

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Ingredients

• 4 small eggplants

• 2 Eggs,beaten

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Cooking oil for shallow frying

• 1 small Spanish onion, sliced thinly

• a few shallots or green onions cut into the same size as the eggplants

Directions

• Cook the eggplants in the grill on both sides until skin is charred and flesh is soft. You can also cook the eggplants in the microwave for 2 minutes or until eggplant is soft.
• Once the eggplants are cool to touch, remove the skin. Use a fork to mash the flesh a little bit, but make sure it remains intact. Season with salt and pepper.
• Beat eggs in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper.
• Dip each egg plant in beaten eggs and shallow fry in a little bit of oil on medium heat.
• Place toppings of shallots and/or Spanish onion slices on the eggplant while one side is cooking.
• Use a slotted flat spatula to turn the eggplant over and cook the other side until golden and edges are crisp.
• Repeat for the other remaining eggplants.
  
  
• Serve warm with sweet chilli, sriracha mayonnaise or soy and lemon dipping sauce

Notes

• Serves 4 as an entree or as a vegetarian side.