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Ensaladang Talong is a dish that sings with vibrant colors, textures, and flavors. Imagine a smoky and charred eggplant, its skin blackened and crackling as it yields to the touch, revealing a soft and creamy interior. The eggplant is then sliced into thick rounds and arranged on a plate, each slice glistening with the bright tang of vinegar and the sparkle of diced tomatoes, onions, and fresh herbs.
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Recipe tips tailored to what matters most to you:
The vegan oyster sauce is your one landmine here. It's built on soy sauce, so read the bottle or use a tamari-based one. Everything else is clean.
Char the eggplants a day ahead and stash them peeled in the fridge. Then it's just chopping, and the salad wants an hour of chilling before serving anyway.
Skip the green mango. It's optional (although yummy!), and you're paying specialty prices for it. Ordinary black eggplant works too, it just needs about double the time.
The eggplant chars dry over a bare flame, so sugar is the only real dial here. Cut the 2 tablespoons back and let the vinegar and tomatoes do the work.
No vegan oyster sauce? Hoisin sauce covers it. Fresno or jalapeño can sub for the bird's eye chilies.
Cooking eggplant directly on an open flame is delicious, but you need to make sure the eggplant becomes tender. Few things suck as much as undercooked eggplant.
Using a fork, pierce the eggplant all over, especially deeply in the thicker areas. This allows heat to more easily penetrate the eggplant.
Ensaladang Talong tastes best when served chilled. Let the salad sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Oodles more tips, step-by-step recipe photos, info on weird ingredients, and FAQs are all still here. I just tucked 'em out of the way so you can start cooking sooner.
As you take a bite of Ensaladang Talong, (or Ensaladang Brinjal as it is sometimes called in some parts of the Visayas region, where "brinjal" is another term for eggplant), the flavors burst into life. The creamy eggplant is complemented by the crunch of onions and the juicy sweetness of tomatoes. The tangy dressing brings a zing of acidity that sets your taste buds dancing, while the fragrant herbs infuse the dish with an earthy freshness that evokes the lush greenery of the Filipino countryside.
You can serve this alongside some Filipino sitaw, stir fried noodles (or stir fried glass noodles if you are gluten free) with seitan bulgogi. Serving it "TALONG-side" some ketoprak helps make that DEEEEElicious Indonesian tofu salad a little more veggie-forward. If you want something crunchy to have with this juicy delicious salad, you DEF need to make these crispy rice dumplings with red jujube dates. Thank me later, mommy.
This recipe is SO delicious. With an abundance of tomatoes and eggplant in the garden this salad takes a different direction than usual. Easy to prepare and absolutely tantalizing.
Jump to:
- Recipe tips tailored to what matters most to you:
- 🥰Why you'll adore this ensaladang talong recipe
- 🍆 Ensaladang talong ingredients
- 🤯Variations
- 📖 How to make this Ensaladang Talong recipe
- 🍽️Serving ideas
- ❗️Top tips
- 🤷♀️Recipe FAQs
- ✌️Other dishes that go great with ensaladang talong:
- Ensaladang Talong- (Filipino Eggplant Salad)
🥰Why you'll adore this ensaladang talong recipe
💣A Healthy Banger: Like all of my Filipino recipes, one is 100% vegan, and gues what else? It just happens to be gluten-free too!
🍴 Effortless Eats: Crafted with just twelve simple ingredients, easily found in any grocery store.
💰Budget-Friendly AF: Prepare this economical dish with affordable and readily available ingredients, making it a wallet-friendly option without compromising on flavor.
Tested and Approved Worldwide: Like all of the vegan recipes I share, after I tweaked and perfected the living daylights out of this it, I had it double-checked by a massive team of recipe testers from all around the world.
I'm on my knees staring weirdly into your eyes, asking you in a soothing voice to be my taste-testing partner in crime. Sign up for the recipe testing crew and get early access to new recipes before they're published.
🍆 Ensaladang talong ingredients
Chinese eggplant
Chinese eggplant, also known as long eggplant or Asian eggplant, is a unique variety of eggplant that is slender and elongated compared to its rounder counterparts. I also use it in my Sayur Lodeh recipe, which is KILLLARGH. You can also make this recipe using ordinary black eggplant, but since it is grittier than the slender Chinese eggplants, stab it deeply all over with a fork, so that as it cooks on the open flame, the heat can more easily penetrate into the insides. It will also require almost double the amount of time to cook. Save those for making soslu patlican or Turkish shakshuka with!
Vegetarian oyster sauce
Vegetarian oyster sauce is typically made with mushroom extract, soy sauce, sugar, and other seasonings, and it has a similar flavor (just a bit sweeter) and texture to oyster sauce, making it a great option for vegans who want to enjoy the umami-rich taste of oyster sauce without using animal products. It comes in handy for everything from mee goreng, to nuoc mam. You can find it at Asian grocery stores and online. If you can't get it, a good substitute is ½ teaspoon of marmite, mixed with ½ teaspoon tamari, and 1 teaspoon of agave nectar.
Green mango
Green mango is an unripe, tangy variety of mango that is commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisine. The green mango, which is optional in this recipe adds some nice contrasting texture as well as a refreshing tartness that balances well with the smoky flavor of the eggplant. There are a ton of things to make with green mango including Indian-style pickle, and Vietnamese rice paper salad.
Bird's eye chilies
Bird's eye chilies, also known as Thai chilies, are a small, fiery hot pepper commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisine. You'll put the to use in everything from homemade tom yum paste, to Indonesian bihun goreng. They are usually green or red and measure around 1-2 inches in length. If you cant find any you can subsitute with some minced Fresno peppers or Jalapeños.
Vinegar
I use regular ol' distilled white vinegar in this recipe. You can substitute rice vinegar, or apple cider vinegar. Heck, you can totally also make this with lemon or lime juice if you avoid vinegar.
*See the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact quantities, nutritional info, and detailed cooking directions.
🤯Variations
Ensaladang Pakô
Pakô is a type of fern that is abundant in the Philippines. If you don't live in the Philippines, a good substitute is fiddlehead ferns. You can briefly blanch them, and then use them in place of the eggplant in this recipe.
Ensaladang Patatas
Especially in the Ilocos region, the dish is made with boiled potatoes instead of eggplant. Hence, it is called Ensaladang Patatas or Potato Salad.
Ensaladang Lato
In coastal regions, such as in Bicol and Visayas, the dish is sometimes made with Lato (A.K.A. green caviar, or sea grapes), a type of seaweed. Lato has a great briney flavor, and is super-good for you.
Grab my easy-yo-use app that builds your whole week with real, chef-tested vegan dinners in 30 seconds, customized to your budget, time, and taste, with a shopping list sorted by aisle.
📖 How to make this Ensaladang Talong recipe
You wanna see how this yummy thing gets made? It's fast and easy, and I'm gonna show you how it should look every step of the way. Or you can follow along with the easy-to-print recipe card towards the bottom of this page.
Step 1
Poke the eggplant with a fork all over.
Step 2
Heat a stove burner on medium-high for two minutes. Grill eggplants directly on the burner grate or medium flame for seven-eight minutes, turning every minute until the eggplant is tender and deflated looking, and the skin is completely charred.
Step 3
Let the eggplant cool, then rub off as much of the charred skin as you can.
Step 4
Cut the eggplant into pieces, and discard any tough parts.
Step 5
Cut tomatoes, onions, mango (optional) and chilies.
Step 6
Add the eggplant and all remaining ingredients.
Step 7
Chill salad for an hour before serving to let the flavors mingle. Serve it right away, maybe with a side of pandan-scented coconut rice, and some Filipino tupig for dessert!
🍽️Serving ideas
Serve this smokey salad alongside other Filipino classics like Ginisang Munggo, or Ginataang Kalabasa. A side of atchara, the classic tangy papaya slaw from the Philippines? You know it's on! Tupig, budbud, or taho are compulsory for dessert!
❗️Top tips
➡️Cooking eggplant directly on an open flame is delicious, but you really need to make sure the eggplant becomes tender. Few things suck as much as undercooked eggplant. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Choose the right eggplant: Look for eggplants that are firm and shiny with smooth skin.
- Preheat the flame: Make sure the flame is set to medium-high for aq couple of minutes before placing the eggplant on it. That way the burner grates will also be hot and can help transfer heat to the eggplant. You want the flame to be hot enough to char the skin but not so hot that it burns the eggplant.
- Pierce the eggplant: Using a fork, pierce the eggplant all over, especially deeply in the thicker areas. This allows heat to more easily penetrate the eggplant, and allows steam to escape while it cooks.
- Roast the eggplant: Place the eggplant directly on the flame and cook it, turning it occasionally with tongs until the skin is charred all over and the flesh is soft and tender.
- Cool and peel: Once the eggplant is cooked, transfer it to a plate and let it cool for a few minutes. Then use a knife to peel off the charred skin, revealing the tender flesh beneath.
- Serve chilled: Ensaladang Talong tastes best when served chilled. Let the salad sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Tweak to Taste: Always check the final mixed dish for seasoning. Want it a bit spicier, saltier, or tangier? Now's your chance to make it your own.
🤷♀️Recipe FAQs
Ensaladang Talong can be made vegan as it is typically composed of eggplants, onions, tomatoes, and other vegetables that do not contain meat. However, some variations may include shrimp paste or bagoong (fermented fish paste) in the dressing, which are not vegetarian.
In some regions, the salad may also be served with boiled eggs or grilled meat on the side. If you are vegetarian, it's important to check with the cook or restaurant staff whether any animal products have been added to the dish.
Ensaladang Talong is a popular Filipino salad that has a long history rooted in the country's culinary traditions. The word ensalada comes from the Spanish language, which means salad, and talong is the Tagalog term for eggplant, the primary ingredient in the dish.
Eggplants were introduced to the Philippines by the Spanish colonizers during the 16th century. However, it was not until the 19th century that eggplants became a popular ingredient in Filipino cuisine, thanks to the country's rich agricultural resources.
Ensaladang Talong has its roots in the simple and rustic way of preparing vegetables in the rural areas of the Philippines. It is believed to have originated in the Ilocos region, where eggplants are abundant and readily available.
The dish is typically made by grilling the eggplants over an open flame until the skin is charred and the flesh is soft and creamy. The grilled eggplants are then peeled and sliced before being tossed with onions, tomatoes, and a dressing made of vinegar, soy sauce, and other seasonings.
Today, Ensaladang Talong is a staple in many Filipino households and is often served as a side dish or appetizer. It is a dish that embodies the simplicity and flavor of Filipino cuisine, and its popularity continues to grow both in the Philippines and around the world.
Don't have a gas cooktop? Or worries about catching yourself on fire and burning down your whole house by mistake? Don't dismay! Roasting eggplant is a great alternative to grilling it over an open flame, and it can be just as delicious when making Ensaladang Talong.
Here are the steps to follow:
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Wash the eggplants and dry them off with a towel. Using a fork, poke deep holes all around the eggplant to allow heat to more easily enter, and to prevent them from bursting in the oven.
Place the eggplants on a parchment paper lined baking tray. Drizzle some olive oil over the eggplants and rub it evenly over the surface of each eggplant.
Roast the eggplants in the preheated oven for 38-45 minutes, or until the skin is wrinkled and the flesh is tender when pierced with a fork.
Remove the eggplants from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes until they are easy to handle.
Ensaladang Talong should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. It is recommended to consume it within 3 days after preparation to ensure optimal quality and freshness. The vinegar-based dressing in the salad acts as a natural preservative, which helps to extend its shelf life. However, since this recipe includes some raw, uncooked veggies, it has the tendency to get a bit funky beyond two or three days.
✌️Other dishes that go great with ensaladang talong:
Ensaladang Talong- (Filipino Eggplant Salad)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Chinese eggplant
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- ½ cup small diced red onion
- 1 green mango diced (optional)
- ⅓ cup white vinegar
- 4 teaspoons vegetarian oyster sauce
- 2 Tablespoons sugar or coconut sugar
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2-3 minced Bird’s eye chilies according to taste
- Fresh cilantro leaves to garnish
Instructions
- Deeply poke the eggplant all over, on all sides, with a fork.
- Make sure your stove is clean. Turn a stove burner on to medium-high heat, and allow the burner grate to heat up for two minutes.
- Grill the eggplants directly on the burner grate. If you use standard black eggplants in place of the Chinese eggplant, cook it over a medium flame instead, so that the insides cook thoroughly.
- Using a pair of tongs, turn the eggplants every minute or so until the skin is all burnt and flaky, and the flesh is soft. It should take about 7 minutes until the eggplants are tender, and a bit deflated looking.
- Transfer the eggplants to a wire rack or plate to cool for 10 minutes.
- Once the eggplants are cool enough to handle, rub off the charred skin. If the skin is really hard to get off, you can also rub it off under cold running water. Don’t freak out about getting every last flake of charred skin off. Some spots may be harder to get off than it’s worth, and a little bit of the charred skin helps make the final dish smokey and delicious tasting.
- Once the eggplant has been skinned, cut it into half-inch pieces. Sometimes the meat near to the stem of the eggplant just doesn’t get tender. Discard any tough-feeling eggplant rather than including it in the salad.
- Cut the tomatoes, onions, and chilies.
- Combine the cut veggies, including the eggplant with all remaining ingredients.
- Chill the salad for at least one hour before serving, to chill it and to allow the flavors of the dressing to enter the veggies.
Video
Notes
🔥 Heat It Up:
Set the heat to medium-high for a few minutes before placing the eggplant. This ensures the grates are hot enough to char the skin without burning the eggplant.🍴 Fork It:
Pierce the eggplant all over with a fork, especially in the thicker areas. This helps heat penetrate and allows steam to escape while cooking.🔪 Peel and Reveal: Cool Before Peeling
Once cooked, make sure to let the eggplant cool on a plate for a few minutes. Then, use a knife to peel off the charred skin and reveal the tender flesh inside.🔧 Final Tweaks: Adjust the Seasoning
Always taste the final dish. If it needs more spice, salt, or tang, now’s the time to adjust!Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Cinnamon Snail.
Kate Denner says
This recipe is SO delicious. With an abundance of tomatoes and eggplant in the garden this salad takes a different direction than usual. Easy to prepare and absolutely tantalizing.