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Tortang giniling
Minced pork and potato omelette
Tortang giniling: Filipino minced pork, potato and tomato omelette patties
Tortang giniling are small, thick omelettes packed with minced pork that has first been sautéed with garlic, onion, tomato and tiny cubes of potato. All over the Philippines they are a thrifty baon (packed lunch) and weeknight dish, eaten hot with rice and a dip of banana ketchup or vinegar with chilli. Most cooks get into trouble by adding the egg while the filling is still raw or wet, which gives soggy patties and undercooked pork, so cook the pork through and let the pan juices dry off first. Chef's tip: fry each torta in a small saucepan or a ladleful at a time in a frying pan, so they stay thick and fluffy rather than spreading thin.
- Total time
- 28 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the filling
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlicfinely chopped
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 9 oz minced pork
- 1 potatomedium, about 150 g, cut into 5 mm cubes
- 1 tomatodiced
- 1 tbsp fish sauceor 1/2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
For the omelettes
- 5 eggslarge
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 spring onion (optional)thinly sliced
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat 1 tbsp of 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry 3 cloves garlic and 1 onion for 2 minutes, until soft and fragrant.
2 minStep 2: Add 9 oz minced pork and break it up with a spoon. Cook for 4–5 minutes, until no pink remains.
5 minStep 3: Stir in 1 potato, 1 tomato, 1 tbsp fish sauce and ½ tsp ground black pepper. Cover and cook for 6 minutes, stirring once or twice, until a potato cube squashes easily and the pork reaches 160°F. Uncover and cook 1 more minute so the pan is dry, then tip the filling into a bowl and let it cool for 2–3 minutes.
7 minStep 4: Beat 5 eggs with ¼ tsp salt and stir in the filling and 2 spring onion.
Step 5: Wipe the pan, add 1 tbsp of 1 tbsp vegetable oil and set over a medium heat. Pour in about a quarter of the mixture and nudge it into a thick round about 12 cm wide. Fry for 2 minutes, until the edges are set and the underside is golden.
2 minStep 6: Flip with a wide spatula and cook 1–2 minutes more, until the centre feels firm when pressed and no runny egg shows at the edges. Repeat with the remaining 2 tbsp vegetable oil and mixture, keeping the cooked tortas warm in a low oven. Serve with rice.
6 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 20 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tortang giniling take?
- About 28 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 18 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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