Name: Chinese Tomato and Egg Stir-Fry
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 5 large eggs, room temperature; 3 medium ripe tomatoes (about 500 g), cored and cut into 1-inch wedges; 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil such as canola or grapeseed; 2 tablespoons water or low-sodium chicken stock; 2 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced; 2 teaspoons granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste; 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine; 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper; 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons cold water; 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil; 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives or scallion greens

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A beloved Chinese home-style dish featuring fluffy scrambled eggs paired with juicy, sweet-tangy tomatoes. Quick to make and deeply comforting, it is a daily staple on family dinner tables across China and is most often spooned over a bowl of hot steamed rice.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time20 mins

Servings4

Yield4 servings

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

240 kcalCalories
17 gFat
4 gSaturated Fat
8 gCarbs
1 gFiber
6 gSugar
12 gProtein
470 mgSodium
380 mgPotassium
65 mgCalcium
2 mgIron
16 mgVitamin C
110 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

Main

5 large eggs, room temperature
3 medium ripe tomatoes (about 500 g), cored and cut into 1-inch wedges
2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil such as canola or grapeseed
2 tablespoons water or low-sodium chicken stock

Aromatics and Seasoning

2 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

For Finishing

1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons cold water
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives or scallion greens

Directions

Crack the eggs into a bowl, add 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the white pepper, and beat vigorously until smooth, pale, and slightly frothy, about 30 seconds.
If the tomato wedges are very seedy, gently scoop out and discard some of the loose seeds so the sauce does not become watery.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the neutral oil in a wok or 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just shimmering. Pour in the beaten eggs and let them sit undisturbed for 15 seconds, then gently push and fold with a spatula to form large, soft curds. Transfer the eggs to a plate while still slightly wet; they will finish cooking when returned.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the same pan and drop in the scallion whites. Stir-fry for 20 seconds until fragrant, then add the tomatoes, sugar, and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes until the tomatoes soften, collapse slightly, and release a glossy pink juice.
Pour the Shaoxing wine around the edge of the pan and add the water or stock. Return the scrambled eggs to the pan and gently fold them into the tomatoes for about 30 seconds, just until evenly coated and heated through.
Stir the cornstarch slurry and drizzle it around the edges of the pan, tossing gently for 20 to 30 seconds to lightly thicken the sauce so it lightly clings to the eggs.
Off the heat, drizzle in the sesame oil, taste and adjust salt, then scatter the chives and scallion greens over the top. Serve immediately over hot steamed rice.

Cook’s Notes

Choose ripe, in-season tomatoes with deep color and a little give; plum or Roma varieties hold their shape best during stir-frying.
Sugar is the secret to authentic flavor: it balances the tomato acidity and rounds out the sauce the way Chinese home cooks expect.
For the fluffiest curds, beat the eggs until airy and pull them from the pan while still slightly wet; carryover heat finishes them when they go back in.
If the sauce reduces too quickly, add a splash of water to keep enough juice to spoon over rice.
Serve with fluffy jasmine rice so the savory tomato juices can be soaked up bite by bite.