Tortang Tahong made of mussels, tomatoes, and fluffy eggs is a simple dish that’s hearty and tasty. This seafood omelet is delicious served with steamed rice and your favorite dipping sauce.
Mussels are one of my favorite seafood, so I am always on the lookout for new ways to enjoy them. I have a few delicious recipes with this shellfish as the star ingredient, such as crispy tahong, cheesy baked mussels, and mussels cooked a la gambas, and I am excited to add this omelet to the list.
This tortang tahong is a smorgasbord of mussel meat, shallots, spring onions, and tomatoes flavored with oyster sauce and then enveloped in fluffy eggs. I had a sizable wedge of it paired with steamed rice and banana ketchup dipping sauce for lunch, and oh, yum! It’s such a simple dish to make but tasty and filling.
This torta is an easy meal you can pull together in minutes. I use already cooked, shucked mussels from Asian supermarkets, which makes the whole prep quicker and easier. If you’re using fresh shell-on mussels, check out the steps below.
How to Clean and Cook Mussels
- Soak the mussels for about 20 minutes in a bowl of cold water to remove any dirt or sand. Drain well.
- Under cold, running water, scrub the shells with a kitchen brush and scrape off any hard filaments with a paring knife.
- Remove the beard or byssus by pulling down toward the hinge of the shell and outward. For any opened mussels, gently your finger and wait for it to close; if the shell doesn’t close after tapping, throw it away.
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the mussels and cover.
- Lower heat to medium and cook, occasionally stirring, for about 3 to 6 minutes or until the mussels open wide. Remove the mussels from the pot with a slotted spoon and discard any unopened shells.
- Using a fork or a paring knife, gently pry the mussel meat from the shell and use it in the recipe as directed.
