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Ensaladang Talong - Roasted Eggplant Salad

Ensaladang Talong is a classic Filipino eggplant salad that is so simple to make, yet filled with layers of savory flavors. Start with roasted eggplants, peel and mash them. Mix in chopped onions, garlic and peppers. Flavor it with seasonings and a thick coconut cream vinaigrette. Serve this as a side or an entrée by itself. This recipe was adapted  from the cookbook ‘Kulinarya: A Guidebook to Philippine Cuisine’. Serves 2 as a side dish.
Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Asian, Filipino
Keyword: Filipino Eggplant Salad Ensaladang Talong
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 204kcal
Author: Asian in America

Ingredients

  • 2 to 3 whole Asian eggplants about 1 cup when mashed (or use 1 large aubergine) - Asian markets have the Japanese variety
  • 1 whole onion chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced fine garlic
  • 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper powder
  • 1/2 cup canned coconut cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger
  • 3 Tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons patis fish sauce
  • 1/2 cup chopped divided, half for eggplants mashed, half for garnish scallions or green onions
  • 1 to 2 whole salad tomatoes sliced 1/4 inch thick , to layer salad
  • boiled jasmine white rice for serving

Instructions

  • Roast the eggplants. You can do it different ways. Open flame : roast the eggplants over an open flame until charred, for about 12-15 minutes. Or oven roast : place the eggplants in a shallow roasting pan, at 400 F degrees for 20 to 23 minutes. (Note: if oven roast, the outer skin will not have a blackened charred look, but that’s okay because you peel it off anyway.)
  • When eggplants have cooled for a few minutes, peel the outer skin off the eggplant carefully. The eggplant has turned soft by now, so peel off slowly. Use a serrated knife to help scrape off the skin which has turned dark brown and wrinkled.
  • In a medium bowl, mash and mix the eggplant filling with the rest of the ingredients : chopped onions, minced garlic and red peppers, scallions. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or till ready to serve.
  • In a small saucepan, over medium low heat, mix together the coconut cream, ginger, vinegar, fish sauce. Allow to boil in about 2 to 3 minutes. Do not let the coconut burn. Turn off heat and remove from stove top.
  • To assemble salad: arrange the tomato slices with a layer of eggplant salad in between. Place 2 to 3 tomato slices atop each other with the eggplant in between. End with the top layer of eggplant salad. Pour a few tablespoons of the coconut vinaigrette. Garnish with scallions. Serve hot or cold with an entrée and boiled jasmine white rice.
  • Cook's comments: In the Philippines, we use Japanese or Asian eggplants which are slim and long, measuring about 8 - 10 inches in length, about 2 inches wide. They are sweeter in flavor and smoother in texture. In America, I buy the Japanese eggplants from Asian markets. If not convenient, I buy the large aubergines and the recipe is just as delicious.

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    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 1636mg | Potassium: 136mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 1.9mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 0.8mg