This humble chinese tomato egg stir fry is a staple in many cai fan stalls in coffee shops in Singapore. The fluffy scrambled eggs coated with sweet-savoury tomato sauce over hot rice is a cheap, satisfying and very nutritious meal I like to serve up when I have nothing left on hand. When paired with luncheon meat, it makes for a perfect stay-at-home treat.
In this post, I’m sharing how I make tomato egg for my family. Whether you’re cooking for picky toddlers or hungry teenagers adults, this recipe is one of the cheapest ways to get protein on the table.
How to make chinese tomato egg stir fry for babies and toddlers
- Ensure that babies have no egg allergy before proceeding.
- Serve only scrambled eggs for fussy eaters who haven’t developed a taste for tomatoes yet.
- Cook tomatoes to a much softer consistency and serve without skins for fussy eaters.
Filling variations for adults and hungry teengagers
You can serve chinese tomato egg stir fry as a side dish or a main dish.
Pair with other less filling proteins such as pan-fried fish, luncheon meat or firm tofu. As chinese tomato egg doesn’t have a lot of bite, serve with firmer vegetables such as broccoli and carrots for a complete meal.
Budget tips for chinese tomato egg stir fry
- Don’t be tempted to buy the expensive eggs. This dish is very forgiving and it gives two humble ingredients tomatoes and budget eggs a whole new dimension of flavour.
Busy day tips
This is a really great dish to serve up on a busy day because it comes together so quickly. Prepare the eggs, tomatoes and condiments before you begin so that you aren’t scrambling for the ingredients later.
This is the basic recipe for tomato egg soup noodles. Add 1L of chicken stock and thicken further with more cornstarch slurry to your desired consistency. Serve it with instant noodles.
Chinese Tomato Egg Stir Fry
Equipment
- 1 stainless steel wok
Ingredients
- 3 large tomatoes ($0.60)
- 6 eggs ($1.33)
- 1 slice ginger
- 2 tbsp tomato sauce ($0.15)
- ½ tbsp sugar ($0.01)
- ½ cup water
- 2 tbsp oil (one for eggs and one for tomatoes) ($0.34)
- 1 tsp soy sauce ($0.03)
- ¾ tsp sea salt ($0.02)
Corn Starch Slurry
- 1 tbsp corn starch ($0.05)
- 4 tbsp water
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients
- Mix the corn starch with water.
- Add ¼ tsp of salt to the eggs in a bowl. Beat to vigorously to incorporate some air.
- Cut each tomato into 8 wedges.
Cook the eggs
- Heat work thoroughly. Add 1 tbsp oil and allow it to heat thoroughly too.
- Add beaten egg mixture and scramble it.
- Once cooked, remove to the same bowl you used to beat it.
Cook the tomatoes
- The wok should still be hot. Remove any traces of cooked egg.
- Add 1 tbsp of oil. Allow it heat fully.
- Add the slice of ginger into the wok and saute for about 30 sec to 1 min till fragrant. Don't brown it.
- Add in the tomatoes and give everything a quick toss with a sturdy ladle.
- Add in brown sugar and saute again.
- The tomatoes will start to break down and separate from their skins. Add water, soy sauce and tomato sauce. Allow the whole mix to come to a boil.
Adding in the eggs
- Add in the cooked eggs and break it up into smaller pieces in the wok if necessary.
- Mix the cornstarch slurry before adding it in. Stir and check the consistency.
- Add more water if necessary.
- Taste the dish and add more condiments as needed. If the dish tastes a little bland, add more tomato sauce and a sprinkle of soy sauce.
- Serve hot on a bed of rice. Pair with luncheon meat for best results!