[Recipe] Tortang Inadobong Talong na may Giniling

Tortang Inadobong Talong na may Giniling

A friend of mine shared this recipe with me recently. He is living in a condo equipped with an induction hob in the kitchen, and there is no way of roasting eggplants for a traditional tortang talong. I remember our kasambahay used to boil the eggplants before mashing them, but I'm definitely not a big fan of that.

His solution is to stew the eggplants first adobo-style. The rest of the recipe is just like making a regular tortang giniling.

There’s something deeply comforting about Filipino home cooking. The kind that fills the kitchen with the aroma of sautéed onions, browning beef, and the unmistakably mouth-watering scent of adobo wafting in the kitchen. Tortang Indobong Talong na may Giniling is one of those dishes that feels familiar and comforting and yet with an inventive twist. It’s the kind of recipe born from practicality: stretching ground beef with vegetables, and binding it all together with eggs. The ingredients may be simple, but the end result is something comforting and satisfying. I love smothering it with banana ketchup over a mound of freshly cooked rice. It's the kind of simple pleasure that makes you pause and savor every bite.

Tortang Inadobong Talong na may Giniling

Ingredients:

Ingredient	Amount / Prep Notes
Ground beef	½ kg
Eggplants	2 medium, cut into ½‑inch segments then quartered
Onions	2 medium, diced
Eggs	3, lightly beaten
Oyster sauce	1 Tbsp
Fish sauce	1 Tbsp
Vinegar	1 Tbsp
Soy sauce	½ Tbsp
Water	250 ml
Salt and pepper	To taste
Cooking oil	2 Tbsp. For sautéing and frying

Directions:

1. Caramelize onions: Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté diced onions until golden and caramelized.
2. Cook beef: Add ground beef to the pan. Stir and cook until browned and fat is rendered.
3. Add eggplants and seasonings: Stir in eggplant pieces along with oyster sauce, fish sauce, vinegar, and soy sauce.
4. Stew gently: Pour in 250 ml water. Lower heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid reduces completely and eggplant turns soft and mushy.
5. Whisk eggs: In a separate bowl, whisk eggs until smooth.
6. Combine mixture: Mix stewed beef-eggplant with whisked eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Fry a small test portion to adjust seasoning if needed.
7. Pan-fry patties: Scoop portions of the mixture into a lightly oiled pan. Fry until golden brown on one side, then carefully flip to cook the other side. Patties will be loose but should hold together.
8. Serve: Transfer to a plate and serve hot with rice and your favorite condiment (banana ketchup all the way!).