Charred eggplant omelette with heirloom tomato salad

The key to this classic Filipino dish is the smoky and earthy flavour achieved by charring the eggplant over flame.

Credit: Kitti Gould

• serves

  3

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  40 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2-3 long thin eggplants, stems attached
• 6 eggs
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 60 ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil
• Large handful of fresh coriander leaves
• Large handful of chives, cut into 3cm lengths (optional)
• Steamed rice, to serve (optional) 

Heirloom tomato salad

• 2 tbsp (40 ml) suka (Filipino vinegar) or rice wine vinegar
• ½ tsp caster sugar
• ¼ tsp sea salt flakes
• 250 g heirloom tomatoes, sliced into rounds
• 2 Asian shallots, very thinly sliced into rings

Instructions

1. To make the heirloom tomato salad, place the vinegar, sugar and salt in a large bowl and stir to dissolve. Add the tomato and shallot and gently toss to combine. Set aside to pickle until needed.
2. Working with one eggplant at a time, place over a medium-high flame on the stovetop. Cook, turning often, for 5-6 minutes, until the skin is charred and the flesh is tender. Hold the stem and, using a fork, scrape off the skin, then gently squash the eggplant with the fork so the flesh spreads out but remains attached to the stem. Discard the skin. Repeat with remaining eggplants.
3. Place the eggs and garlic in a bowl, then season and whisk until well combined. Heat the vegetable oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the egg and as soon as the base sets, add the eggplant, placing them flat side by side. Reduce the heat to medium, cover with a lid and cook for 3 minutes or until set.
4. Remove the pan from the heat. Stain the tomato mixture, reserving the pickling liquid, then spoon the salad over the omelette. Scatter with the coriander leaves and chives (if using) and drizzle over the pickling liquid. Serve with steamed rice, if you like.

 

This recipe is from A Taste of the Philippines with Yasmin Newman. Photography by Kitti Gould.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.