Tortang Talong with Leftover Fried Fish

A practical way to turn deboned fried fish and grilled eggplant into a new meal.

Ingredients

• 2 grilled eggplants, peeled, stems intact
• About 80–120 g leftover fried fish, deboned and flaked
• 4 medium eggs — 2 eggs per eggplant gives a nice substantial torta
• 1 small tomato, finely diced
• ¼ medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 small clove garlic, finely minced
• ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
• Salt, only if needed — the fried fish may already be salty
• 3–4 tbsp cooking oil, for frying

Method

• Remove every fish bone and flake the flesh. Beat eggs with tomato, onion, garlic, pepper, then fold in the fish.
• Fry a small spoonful to taste before adding salt. Flatten each peeled grilled eggplant gently with a fork, keeping its stem and fibres intact.
• Heat half the oil over medium to medium-low heat. Place one eggplant in the pan and spoon half the egg-and-fish mixture around it.
• Cook 3–4 minutes, until golden underneath, then turn carefully and cook another 2–3 minutes until the egg is fully set. Cover briefly if the centre needs more cooking.
• Repeat with the second eggplant. Serve with rice, sliced tomatoes and a little vinegar dipping sauce if liked.

Before you cook

Read the ingredient labels for allergens, especially seafood, soy, wheat, dairy and eggs. Prepared sauces and seasoning powders vary in saltiness, so taste before adding more. Cooking times are guides; check doneness in the actual batch.

Cook poultry and reheated leftovers to 74°C, ground meat to 71°C, and fish to 63°C. FoodSafety.gov cooking guidance ↗