A Classic Chinese Comfort Food Favourite

Today, I will be sharing my mom’s version of the classic Chinese dish – egg and tomato stir fry recipe. This recipe is one of my top comfort foods and if you grew up in a Chinese or Taiwanese household, chances are you eat this dish at home all the time. This dish always brings back memories of my mom’s home cooking whenever I recreate this at home.  

This egg and tomato stir fry is so easy to make and the main ingredients – eggs and tomatoes –  are readily available in most households. Eggs are a great source of protein and tomatoes are very rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants, making this dish a good source of energy that you can enjoy for brunch or lunch.

Top Tips and Other Versions of Egg and Tomato Stir Fry Recipe 

There are several variations of this egg and tomato stir fry recipe. You can opt to add sweeteners or you can add other seasonings if you like it more to be on the savory side. For this recipe, my tip is to use pasture-raised eggs as this will give you a more vibrant and sweeter scrambled egg dish. I also recommend mixing a splash of sesame oil to keep the eggs tender and also adds a nutty flavor to this dish. My mom also likes to garnish with thinly sliced green onions for a pop of color while Southern Tawainese recipes suggest adding Thai basil for a more potent aroma.

Other variations of this recipe also include adding cornstarch as a thickening agent, which I don’t prefer to use. But the use of cornstarch makes the tomato sauce thicken faster and cuts the cooking time altogether. If you want to go the traditional way, you can always do away with the cornstarch by just waiting for the tomatoes to naturally release their juices. Once 80% of the juice has evaporated, the sauce will thicken on its own. 

My father also has a different version of this egg and tomato stir fry recipe. He likes to use dry plum powder instead of salt and sugar. Simply add the plum powder into the pan while sautéing the tomatoes for a sweeter and slightly tangy flavor. If you don’t have access to dry plum powder, you can use Shaoxing wine for a different recipe variation. I like to skip the Shaoxing wine and leave it for my beef stir-fry or soup dishes.

Check out this popular Chinese Egg Tomato Stir-Fry that includes the ingredients eggs, tomatoes, salt, sesame oil, monk fruit sugar, and green onions. This is one of my favorite comfort meals

Chinese Egg and Tomato Stir Fry

Yield: 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes 10 seconds
Total Time: 25 minutes 10 seconds

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs 
  • 6-8 small ripe vine tomatoes, diced (peeling off the skin is optional)
  • 3/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper
  • 3/4 tsp monk fruit sugar (or your choice of sweetener)
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil
  • 1-2 tbsp green onions, sliced thinly

Instructions

1. Mix the eggs and sesame oil in a bowl. Beat the egg mixture until bubbles form at the surface. This is the secret to a fluffy, tender, and flavorful chunky scrambled eggs.

2. Heat ½ tsp vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Pour your eggs into the pan and keep stirring the mixture to make sure it is cooked evenly. Take the egg out of the pan once it’s 80% cooked and set aside. This step is important so you do not make the mistake of overdoing the eggs!

3. Heat ½ tsp vegetable oil in the same pan over medium heat and sauté the tomatoes. Season with salt and sugar. Sauté until 50% the juice has evaporated. 
4. Toss the scrambled egg back into the pan with the tomatoes. Season with white pepper and sauté the ingredients for another minute or so. 
5. Serve the dish and garnish with green onions.

This is an easy recipe that you can make from scratch. Make sure you follow the tips I mentioned to achieve a fluffy Chinese scrambled egg and tomato dish! This dish is traditionally enjoyed over a warm bowl of rice. But you can eat it by itself or with a bowl of low-carb shirataki noodles.

If you are looking for more Asian-inspired recipes, you can also check out my Chinese Cauliflower Fried Rice Recipe here. For other delicious and healthy recipes, check my website here. Enjoy!