Tomato Egg Stir-Fry

Tomato Egg Stir-Fry (Xihongshi Chao Jidan) is a beloved Chinese home-cooking staple: ripe tomatoes broken down into a light, savory-sweet sauce that coats soft, fluffy scrambled egg curds. It's simple, fast, and comforting, usually eaten spooned over steamed rice.

By YumYum Editorial · Chinese

Prep: 10 min · Cook: 10 min · Total: 20 min · Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 tsp salt (for eggs)
• 4 ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 3 tbsp neutral oil, divided
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp soy sauce (optional)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water (slurry, optional)
• 2 scallions, sliced, for garnish

Instructions

1. Beat eggs with 1/4 tsp salt until well combined.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok over medium-high heat until shimmering. Pour in the eggs and let them puff up for a few seconds, then gently scramble into large, soft curds. Remove to a plate before fully set — they'll finish cooking later.
3. Add remaining 1 tbsp oil to the wok. Add garlic and stir-fry 10 seconds.
4. Add tomato wedges and stir-fry 2-3 minutes until they begin to break down and release their juices.
5. Add sugar, salt, and soy sauce if using, along with the water. Simmer 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes have softened into a chunky sauce.
6. If the sauce is too thin, stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer briefly until slightly thickened.
7. Return the scrambled eggs to the wok and gently fold them into the tomato sauce, cooking just until warmed through and the eggs are fully set, about 1 minute.
8. Garnish with scallions and serve hot over steamed rice.