Tomato & Egg Stir-Fry (Xi Hong Shi Chao Ji Dan)
The undisputed national dish of Chinese home cooking — the one dish everyone's mother made.
The story
Ask any Chinese person what they ate most growing up and this is the answer. It is sweet, saucy, and engineered to be poured over rice. Students make it in dorms with a single hotplate.
Ingredients (4 + pantry staples)
- Eggs — 4, beaten
- Ripe tomatoes — 2 large, wedged
- Scallions — 1, sliced
- Soy sauce — 1 tsp
Pantry staples used (don't count toward the 6): sugar (1 tsp), salt, cooking oil. Not stocked yet? See the pantry page.
Steps
- Fry the eggs in 2 tbsp oil until just set and golden; break into chunks and remove.
- Add tomatoes with a pinch of salt and the sugar; fry 3 minutes until they slump into sauce.
- Return eggs, add soy sauce, toss once, finish with scallions.
Swaps
No fresh tomatoes? One can of whole tomatoes, drained for 2 minutes in the pan first, works almost as well.
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