Tomato and egg stir-fry is a Chinese homestyle dish of soft eggs, ripe tomatoes and scallion. This version follows The Woks of Life. It is not uniquely Sichuan and does not require peppercorns or chili bean paste.
Quick Answer
Return eggs and cover briefly until tomatoes soften and the combined egg dish is thoroughly cooked to 71 C (160 F). Serve while the curds are soft; runny appearance or color alone is not a safety test.
Basic Facts
| Main ingredients | About 500 g ripe tomatoes, roughly 4 small to medium; 4 eggs; 1 scallion. |
|---|---|
| Egg seasoning | 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon white pepper; 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil; 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine. |
| Pan and tomato seasoning | 3 tablespoons oil: 2 for eggs and 1 for tomatoes; another 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons sugar; 1/4–1/2 cup water, starting with 1/4 cup. |
Preparation and cooking
- Cut tomatoes into wedges and chop scallion. Beat eggs with their quarter-teaspoon salt, white pepper, sesame oil and wine. Keep egg handling utensils separate from the serving plate.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil and scramble eggs into soft curds. Transfer them to a clean plate; they will finish cooking when returned to the tomatoes.
- Use the remaining tablespoon oil for tomatoes and scallion. Add the remaining salt, sugar and 1/4 cup water. Increase water only if the pan needs it, within the source’s range.
- Return eggs and cover briefly until tomatoes soften and the combined egg dish is thoroughly cooked to 71 C (160 F). Serve while the curds are soft; runny appearance or color alone is not a safety test.
Texture and seasoning
Ripe tomatoes release different amounts of liquid, so begin with the lower water amount. The finished sauce should bind tomatoes and eggs, not turn the dish into a large bowl of diluted soup.
Oil and salt are divided between two stages; do not repeat the full totals in each stage. No meat, noodles, cheese or Sichuan pepper are required for this selected preparation.
Quick reference
Use the measured ingredient list and the cooking order above. Images illustrate ingredients and appearance; they do not document this site’s own kitchen test or prove exact quantities.
References
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this uniquely Sichuan?
No. It is a Chinese homestyle dish enjoyed more broadly.
Should all the water be added initially?
Begin with 1/4 cup and add more only if the pan needs it.
Are the eggs finished before the tomato stage?
No. Soft scrambled eggs are returned to the tomatoes to finish cooking.