Chef-tested recipe
Smoky flame-roasted eggplant folded with tomatoes, onion and soft eggs
Poqui Poqui is an Ilocano dish that transforms roasted eggplant, tomatoes, onion and eggs into a smoky, soft scramble. Charring the eggplant directly over flame is the defining step: it perfumes the flesh and makes the skin easy to peel. The tomatoes must cook down before the eggs enter so the finished dish remains rich rather than watery.
Recipe at a glance
- Servings
- 6 servings
- Prep Time
- 20 mins
- Cook Time
- 35 mins
- Resting Time
- 10 mins for the roasted eggplant to cool before peeling.
- Total Time
- 1 hour 5 mins
- Cuisine
- Filipino, Ilocano
- Course
- Breakfast, side dish or light main dish
- Cooking Method
- Flame-roasting, sautéing and soft scrambling
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Best Served With
- Steamed rice, garlic rice, fried fish, longganisa, tomato salad, or vinegar with chilli.
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
- Gas burner, charcoal grill or broilerpaid link
- Wide frying panpaid link
- Tongspaid link
- Traypaid link
- Mixing bowlpaid link
- Wooden spatulapaid link
- Chef’s knifepaid link
- Cutting boardpaid link
- Digital kitchen scalepaid link
Ingredients
For the roasted eggplant
- Long Asian eggplants: 1.2 kg
- Neutral cooking oilpaid link: 15 ml, for brushing
For the scramble
- Neutral cooking oilpaid link: 30 ml
- Garlic: 25 g, minced
- Red onions: 250 g, thinly sliced
- Ripe tomatoes: 500 g, diced
- Fish sauce: 30 ml Shop paid link
- Eggs: 8, lightly beaten
- Fine sea saltpaid link: as needed
- Freshly ground black pepper: 3 g
- Scallions: 60 g, thinly sliced
Preparation Overview
Wash and dry the eggplants, then pierce each one twice so steam can escape. Lightly brush with oil. Beat the eggs just until the yolks and whites combine; overbeating makes the final texture firmer.
Method
Roast the eggplants directly over a gas flame, charcoal grill or under a very hot broiler, turning until the skins are blackened and the flesh has collapsed, about 12–15 minutes.
Transfer to a tray and cool for 10 minutes. Peel away the charred skin while keeping the smoky flesh and juices.
Roughly chop the eggplant into 3 cm pieces; do not mash it completely.
Heat 30 ml oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat. Cook garlic for 30 seconds, then add onion and sauté for 4 minutes.
Add tomatoes with a small pinch of salt. Cook for 8–10 minutes until the tomatoes soften and most loose liquid evaporates.
Add roasted eggplant and fish sauce. Fold gently and cook for 3 minutes.
Lower the heat. Pour in beaten eggs and leave undisturbed for 20 seconds, then slowly fold until softly set but still moist.
Add black pepper, taste for salt, and finish with scallions. Serve immediately.
Beginner Technique Notes
Blacken the skin thoroughly; the inside should feel completely soft when pressed with tongs.
Do not rinse peeled eggplant because water removes smoky flavour and makes the scramble wet.
Remove the pan from the heat while the eggs still look slightly glossy. Residual heat will finish them.
Tips and Variations
A charcoal grill gives the strongest traditional smoky aroma, but a gas flame or broiler also works.
For more savoury depth, use bagoong isda instead of fish sauce, adding it gradually because salt levels vary.
Keep some eggplant in visible pieces rather than mashing everything into a purée.
Serving Ideas
- Spoon onto a warm platter and serve immediately while the eggs are tender. It works as breakfast beside rice or as a vegetable dish in a shared Ilocano meal.
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently in a covered pan to 74°C; high heat can toughen the eggs and release water from the eggplant. Freezing is not recommended.
Nutritional Value
Allergen Notes
Contains egg and fish. Replace fish sauce with salt for a fish-free version, adjusting carefully. Check fermented seasonings for shellfish if substituting bagoong.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the dish called Poqui Poqui?
The exact origin of the name is debated, but the dish is firmly associated with Ilocano cooking.
Can round eggplant be used?
Yes, but long Asian eggplant has thinner skin, fewer seeds and a tender texture well suited to roasting.
Why is my Poqui Poqui watery?
The tomatoes were not reduced enough or the peeled eggplant was rinsed. Cook off moisture before adding eggs.
Can the eggplant be roasted ahead?
Yes. Refrigerate peeled roasted eggplant for up to 2 days, then bring it to room temperature before cooking.
