Oh this must be the quintessential homestyle Chinese dish. This egg and tomato stir-fry becomes soupy when the juices are gently coaxed out of fresh tomatoes.
Serve this classic dish with Make Ahead Chilled Chinese Broccoli, vegan mapo tofu, or even a Shanghai chicken.
Chinese comfort food
Spooned over rice, it’s something a Chinese mum would make for her family, and each one has her own version of this classic homestyle dish.
If you didn’t grow up eating this dish, then this might seem foreign or strange.
However, eggs with tomatoes is not a new concept.
In Middle Eastern cuisine, egg & tomato is found in the classic Shakshouka, where tomatoes are simmered with cumin, fennel, and other spices before eggs join the party.
An American version might be scrambled eggs for breakfast with ketchup on top.
No special ingredients required
This stir-fry is simply made up of eggs, tomato, sugar, and salt.
Some versions include rice vinegar, sesame oil, chinese rice wine, or even ketchup itself to this dish.
However, the tomato, sugar and salt alone almost mimic ketchup.
Any additional ingredients serve to make the tomatoes more ketchup-y.
How to make Chinese Egg & Tomato
Step 1: Prep vegetables
Remove the core from each tomato and slice into 8 wedges.
If you would like a garnish, now would be the time to slice the green part of a green onion.
Step 2: Scramble eggs
The first step is to scramble eggs in the pan until they are fluffy and still moist over medium heat.
I just crack them into the pan and whisk them in the pan while cooking to avoid washing another dish.
If you prefer, you can whisk your eggs beforehand in a bowl.
Take care not to overcook the eggs.
Remove from the pan when they are still wet and shiny.
They will be returned to the pan after the tomatoes are cooked.
A non-stick pan, seasoned wok, or cast iron pan works best, in this case, to get the eggs out of the plan as cleanly as possible.
Step 3: Cook tomato “sauce”
No need to clean out the pan, if you used a non-stick one or seasoned.
Just add the tomato wedges, sugar, and salt to a bit of oil into the still hot pan.
Cook for 3-5 minutes until the tomatoes heat through and start to break down but not completely.
There should still be some semblance of tomato chunks present.
Step 4: Marry the eggs and tomato
Return cooked eggs to the pan.
Stir to combine until you have colorful yellow chunks swimming peacefully in a calm tomato sea.
Step 5: Serve hot
Gently spoon the hot, eggy, soupiness over steamed rice or cauliflower rice.
Garnish with green onion, and let the comfort begin.
Expert Tips
- Use the ripest, fresh tomatoes that you can find! Summer ripe, heirloom tomatoes work really nicely in this dish.
- You can crack the eggs right into the pan and scramble them while cooking. Or if you don’t mind washing an extra bowl, you can whisk them separately beforehand.
- Take care not to overcook the eggs. Remove from the pan when they are still wet and shiny, rather than completely dried out.
- Use a nonstick pan, seasoned wok, or seasoned cast iron pan for easy cleanup of the scrambled eggs.
- After the eggs are cooked, you can wipe out the pan but there is no need to wash it before cooking the tomatoes.
- If you want to play with other seasonings, you can also add rice vinegar, sesame oil, chinese rice wine, and ketchup for more flavor.
More Easy Chinese Recipes
Healthy Bell Pepper Recipe with Black Bean Sauce (Vegan)
Smashed Cucumbers – Angry & Vegan
Fish Fragrant Fairy Tale Eggplant – Vegan
Easy, Soupy, Chinese Egg & Tomato Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 2 tsp cooking oil
- 4 ea large eggs
- 1/2 lb tomatoes about 2 large beefsteak tomatoes
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 ea green onion top sliced
Instructions
- Heat 1 tsp oil in a non-stick pan to medium heat. Add eggs and keep stirring just until cooked. The eggs should still be a wet and shiny. Set aside on a plate.
- Heat remaining 1 tsp oil in the same pan to medium high heat. Add tomato wedges, sugar, and salt. Cook for 3-5 minutes until tomatoes start breaking down, but some large pieces of tomato still remain.
- Add eggs back into the pan and stir to combine over medium heat. Serve with rice and top with green onion for garnish.
Notes
- Use the ripest, fresh tomatoes that you can find! Summer ripe, heirloom tomatoes work really nicely in this dish.
- You can crack the eggs right into the pan and scramble them while cooking. Or if you don't mind washing an extra bowl, you can whisk them separately beforehand.
- Take care not to overcook the eggs. Remove from the pan when they are still wet and shiny, rather than completely dried out.
- Use a nonstick pan, seasoned wok, or seasoned cast iron pan for easy cleanup of the scrambled eggs.
- After the eggs are cooked, you can wipe out the pan but there is no need to wash it before cooking the tomatoes.
- If you want to play with other seasonings, you can also add rice vinegar, sesame oil, chinese rice wine, and ketchup for more flavor.
Nutrition
Do you love soupy, homey comfort food? Please spread the Asian ♥ and share!
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