Courgette Omelette (Tortang Talong Twist) with Yoghurt & Chives

Tortang talong is a beloved Filipino dish traditionally made with eggplant, coated in egg and pan-fried into a savoury omelette. For this version, we gave it a seasonal twist and swapped the eggplant for courgette, because when courgettes are everywhere, they deserve a spot too.

Think of it as a courgette omelette with a Filipino inspiration: simple ingredients, big flavour, and perfect for breakfast, lunch, or an easy dinner.

Ingredients

• 2 courgettes
• Salt & black pepper
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Oil for frying

Yoghurt dressing

• 1 cup plain yoghurt
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• Juice of ½–1 lemon
• Olive oil
• Handful of fresh chives, chopped
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Prepare the courgettes

Trim the base of each courgette but leave the stem end intact.

Starting about 3–5cm below the stem, slice lengthways downwards — but don’t cut all the way through. Leave the top attached so the strips stay connected.

Rotate the courgette and repeat, creating long strips that fan out but remain joined at the top.

2. Season & drain

Season well with salt and pepper.
Lay on a plate and let them sit for 10–15 minutes to draw out excess moisture. Pat dry gently.

3. Coat

Lightly coat the courgettes in flour, making sure the strips are covered.
Dip into beaten egg, coating evenly.

4. Fry

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
Carefully place the courgettes in the pan and fry until golden and crispy on both sides.
Transfer to paper towel to drain.

5. Make the dressing

Mix yoghurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, dill, and salt until smooth.

Serve the crispy courgette schnitzels with a generous dollop of the yogurt dressing.