This is a favorite Filipino stuffed eggplant dish of ground pork or beef, potatoes, tomatoes and raisins, topped with scrambled eggs. Use the Asian eggplants, which are slim and long, but with a sweeter flavor and finer texture.
Filipino Tortang Talong is good served with ketchup on the side, on a bed of boiled jasmine white rice. Servings – 2 to 4.
INGREDIENTS
- Asian or Japanese eggplants – 3 to 4, char-grilled or roasted, then peeled (from Asian markets)
- vegetable oil – 4 Tablespoons, divided- Use 2 Tablespoons for ground meat, 2 for eggplants
- garlic – 1 teaspoon minced
onion – 1 whole, chopped - ground pork or beef – 1/4 pound
- tomato – 1 large, chopped
- potato – 1 large, chopped
- salt – 1 teaspoon
- black pepper powder – 1 teaspoon
- eggs – 2 large, beaten
- bread crumbs – 1/2 cup
- boiled jasmine white rice – for serving
- ketchup – for serving
- raisins – 1/3 cup
INSTRUCTIONS
- Char-grill eggplants over high heat for 20 to 25 minutes. Or else place eggplants in a greased shallow baking sheet, and roast in the oven at 400 F for 25 minutes. The eggplants will look dark and shriveled after this. Cool the eggplants for a few minutes till easy to handle. Peel off the outer skin using a serrated knife and fork.
- Leave the stem part intact, so you can grip the bare-skinned eggplant. You should have the inner part of the eggplants with a dark green color and a fibrous texture. Set aside for use after the ground meat is cooked.
- In a medium skillet, over medium high heat, add 2 Tablespoons of the vegetable oil. Saute the garlic, onions, tomatoes. Add the ground meat and cook for 8 minutes or till beef or pork turns a dark color. Add the potatoes, raisins and cook for 8 minutes more.
- Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a large non-stick skillet, over medium heat. add 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil. Place the peeled eggplants, flatten them in the center of the large pan.
- Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cooked ground meat and potatoes over the bed of eggplants. Sprinkle a tablespoon of breadcrumbs on the meat mixture.
- Pour the beaten eggs, starting from the center of the meat mixture that’s over the eggplants. Using a flat turner or spatula, move any excess eggs that fall on the side, to the top of the meat mixture.
- Cover and cook this eggplant-meat assembly for 6 to 8 minutes more or till there is no more trace of liquid in the eggs. Serve hot over rice and with ketchup on the side.
COOK’S COMMENTS: If the Asian eggplants are not available, use regular large aubergines for this recipe. Instead of 3 or 4 Asian eggplants, substitute one large aubergine, following the same process for char-grilling or roasting, then peeling.
Credits to: asianinamericamag.com
