By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 4
172 cal · 50 min
Eggplant Omelet (Tortang Talong)
Recipe GLPR4b3289c8273529
A Filipino-inspired crispy eggplant dish where charred Asian eggplants are peeled, dipped in beaten egg, pan-fried until golden brown, and topped with optional crabmeat. Served with fish sauce for an authentic savory finish.
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Ingredients
2 large Asian eggplants (about 1/3 pound or 155 g each)
2 extra-large eggs
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons cooked crabmeat, picked (optional)
Fish sauce, for serving
Directions
Preheat your broiler to high heat.
Arrange the eggplants in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil until they are deeply charred and very soft, turning once or twice halfway through, about 15 minutes total. Alternatively, if you have a gas stove, hold each eggplant with tongs directly over a medium-high burner, rotating slowly to blacken the skin all over.
Transfer the roasted eggplants to a ziplock bag and seal. Let them rest for 10 minutes to steam, which softens the skin. Carefully peel away and discard the charred skin. Using a fork, gently press and flatten the soft eggplant flesh into a thick patty shape.
Crack both eggs into a shallow bowl and beat thoroughly. Season the beaten egg with salt and pepper.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working with one flattened eggplant at a time, dip it into the beaten egg, turning to coat both sides and allowing the egg to soak in for a second or two. Season the egg-coated eggplant with additional salt and pepper, then carefully place it in the hot oil. Repeat with the second eggplant, spacing them apart in the skillet. If using crabmeat, place 1 tablespoon on top of each eggplant and press gently with a fork.
Cook until the first side is golden brown and crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip and cook the second side until golden and crispy, about 3 more minutes, until the eggs reach an internal temperature of 160°F. Transfer the cooked eggplants to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
Serve the eggplant omelets hot or at room temperature with fish sauce for drizzling.
Comments
Fish sauce is the hard stop for Charlotte grocers: ALDI does not stock it reliably, and Harris Teeter's Asian section is spotty outside major locations. You'll likely need to budget a trip to a dedicated Asian market like V&V or H Mart, or order online. The eggplant, eggs, and crabmeat are standard finds everywhere, but eggplant quality varies seasonally and crabmeat adds $4–6 per serving depending on fresh versus canned. The stated 50 minutes ignores the 15 minutes needed to salt-cure and drain the eggplant, plus heating oil to fry it properly, bringing honest prep to about 70 minutes. It's a same-night dish that doesn't keep well when reheated. The dish itself is unfussy and yields four generous servings, but the fish sauce hunt and the modest per-serving cost make this a weekend project rather than a weeknight grab.
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