Tomato Egg Is the 20-Minute Meal I Make When I Don't Feel Like Cooking
With just a few affordable ingredients, Chinese tomato egg is a 20-minute weeknight win. This recipe is a flavorful, easy-to-make main dish that tastes great with rice.
Chinese tomato egg stir-fry is a beloved classic dish that holds a special place in my heart. Growing up, it was a weekly staple at home. In fact, it is one of the few dishes my dad enjoys cooking because it has a short list of simple ingredients that transform into something delicious. This is one of those special recipes that rewards low effort with high reward.
Chinese tomato egg is commonly served with a bowl of jasmine rice. The saucy tomatoes will infuse and permeate through the grains, making each bite of rice exciting. The tomatoes add a slight tang that is balanced with a little sugar, and the gently scrambled eggs add a soft, silky, and velvety texture and soak up all the delicious flavors.
The Best Tomatoes for Tomato Egg
While you can use other tomato varieties, this recipe works great with Roma tomatoes, also known as plum tomatoes. Plum tomatoes have the perfect balance of firm and soft, allowing them to hold their shape under quick and intense heat while releasing just enough juice without making the stir-fry too wet. They’re also affordable and easy to find at your local grocery all year long.
To prepare the tomatoes, I recommend first cutting the tomato in half lengthwise. Trim the stemmed indent where the tomato connected to the vine. That part tends to be fibrous and firm, even after the addition of heat. Cut the tomato halves lengthwise into thirds.
Tips for the Best Tomato Egg
Tomato egg is all about timing. By starting the process with a cold pan, the eggs will cook over slow and gradual heat, creating the softest scrambled eggs. It will also prevent them from browning. Overcooked eggs can taste coarse and rough, which makes it harder for them to absorb all the delicious tomato juices.
It is also very important to slightly undercook your scrambled eggs during this step. Remove the scrambled eggs when they are just barely soft scrambled since they will keep cooking after they’re off the heat. This will help prevent them from overcooking when we add the eggs back to the tomatoes for a quick toss at the end.
An Easy Substitution
Chicken bouillon powder is a wonderful way to add a boost of umami with a touch of sodium. My favorite brand is Lee Kum Lee’s Premium Chicken Bouillon. This recipe accounts for the sodium already present in the bouillon, so you won't need any additional salt.
If you prefer to use chicken broth, just add 1/4 cup along with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon of water at the end. Don’t forget to season with salt to taste since sodium levels in chicken broth can vary by brand. The cornstarch slurry will help bind the broth to create a thicker consistency so that the stir-fry does not become tomato egg soup.
Quick Egg Dinners
Prepare the tomatoes:
Slice the tomatoes in half. Remove the tough stem from each half that connects to the vine. Cut each half into equal thirds (you’ll get 6 slices from each tomato).
Make the soft scrambled eggs:
In a cold, 8 to 10-inch nonstick skillet, add the vegetable oil and beaten eggs. Turn the heat to medium. Once a thin layer of eggs is just beginning to cook on the bottom, push the eggs in one direction to create layers of scrambled eggs.
Cook, gently stirring the whole time, until the scramble eggs are mostly set but still slightly wet and shiny, 2 to 5 minutes. Remove the eggs to a plate and, if needed, wipe out the pan.
Stir-fry the tomatoes and seasonings:
Add the sesame oil to the pan followed by the tomatoes and stir-fry over medium heat until the tomatoes are softened but not mushy, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken bouillon powder, sugar, and white pepper. Toss until combined and the sugar and bouillon have dissolved, about 1 minute.
Add eggs, stir-fry, and garnish:
Add the eggs back to the pan with the tomatoes. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes to heat through and combine. Taste, adding salt only if needed. Sprinkle with the green onions and serve with steamed rice.
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