Colm O'Gorman's burnt aubergine fritter with feta, green chutney and pomegranate
Burnt Aubergine Fritter with Feta, Green Chutney, Pickled Red Onion and Tomato Salsa, and Pomegranate
I spotted a Filipino dish called Tortang Talong on Instagram recently. It is an omelette of sorts; a burnt aubergine that is flattened and coated in egg and then pan fried and served over rice. It looks great, and I plan on cooking it soon, but it also inspired this week’s recipe. Burnt aubergine is for me, a classic Middle Eastern flavour. I adore baba ganoush, or Moroccan Zaalouk, a salad made with burnt aubergine, tomatoes and spices. So, when I spotted Tortang Talong on Instagram, it immediately had me conjuring up this fusion dish of burnt aubergine fritters in a crispy pakora batter, served with a herby chilli chutney, feta, pickled red onion and tomato salsa, and pomegranate seeds.
When I cooked this for the first time, I served it with Zhouk, a fiery Yemeni chilli and herb sauce, but it rather overpowered the aubergine, so I went instead with this green chutney made with coriander, coconut, chilli, yoghurt, and honey which worked beautifully. You can amp up the heat if you wish by adding more green chilli or use your own favourite chilli sauce instead. Some creamy Greek yoghurt on the side would also work well. If you want to make a fully vegan version, used soy yoghurt for the sauce or side.
