Tomato and egg stir-fry

Name: Tomato and egg stir-fry
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 4 large eggs; 2 medium (300 g) ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges; 1 scallion, white and green parts sliced separately; ½ tsp salt, divided; 1 tsp sugar, to taste (optional); 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil, divided; 2 tbsp (30 ml) water

Soft eggs, tomatoes cooked down to a sauce, rice underneath. Often the first dish people learn to cook.

番茄炒蛋fān qié chǎo dàn

Time15 min

Hands-on5 min

LevelEasy

Serves2

Everyone makes this a little differently. The main arguments are sugar (some say yes, some say never), whether the eggs go back in at the end, and how saucy it should be. This version keeps the eggs soft and makes enough sauce to soak into rice.

In the north it's usually called 西红柿炒鸡蛋xī hóng shì chǎo jī dàn. Same dish, different words for tomato and egg.

Ingredients

4 large eggs
2 medium (300 g) ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 scallion, white and green parts sliced separately
½ tsp salt, divided
1 tsp sugar, to taste optional
2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil, divided
2 tbsp (30 ml) water

Tools

Wok or 12-inch skillet
Wide spatula

Steps

Beat the eggs with ¼ tsp of the salt until no streaks of white remain.
Heat 1½ tbsp oil in a wok or large pan over high heat until it shimmers. Pour in the eggs, let them puff for a few seconds, then push them around in big curds. Take them out while they still look a little wet, about 30–45 seconds. They'll finish cooking later.
Add the rest of the oil and the scallion whites. When they smell good, add the tomatoes and stir-fry until they soften and release their juice.
Add the sugar (if using), the remaining ¼ tsp salt and the water. Press a few tomato pieces with your spatula to make more sauce. Taste and adjust the salt and sugar.
Return the eggs, fold them through the sauce for 15 seconds, and turn off the heat. Scatter the scallion greens on top and serve over rice.

Good to know

Watery or thick: For more sauce, add another 2 tbsp water. For a drier version, skip the water and cook the tomatoes a minute longer.
Ketchup: Plenty of home cooks add a tablespoon, especially when tomatoes are out of season.
Out-of-season tomatoes: Peel them (score, dip in boiling water for 20 seconds) and use a little more sugar.

Ask your grandparents

Did your family put sugar in it?
Who taught you to cook this, and how old were you?