Stir-Fried Tomato and Eggs (Fan Qie Chao Dan)

I don't remember my mom ever having made this home-style Taiwanese dish, but my grandmother certainly did (not while we were in Taiwan, but back in the mid-80's, when she, my Aunt Sheri and I were all living in LA). Tomato & eggs doesn't sound very Chinese, but the addition of garlic, a touch of soy, sweet chili sauce, ketchup and scallions makes this dish distinctive in the pantheon of egg dishes. 

Ingredients: 
12 eggs, beaten (seasoned with 1 tsp. salt & 1/4 tsp. white pepper, 1 tsp. Shaoxing wine)
4 medium ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped into large dice, strained of juice
3 scallions, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. sweet chili sauce
2 tbsp. ketchup
1 tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. water
1 tsp. cornstarch

1. Mix sweet chili sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, water, sesame oil, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set aside. 

2. Heat 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the beaten eggs and stir until partially set (about half to 3/4 cooked through - do NOT overcook). Immediately remove the partially scrambled eggs to a bowl and set aside.

3. In the same pan, add 1 tbsp. vegetable oil and stir in the garlic and half of the minced scallions. Add the diced tomatoes and stir-fry 1-2 minutes over high heat, then stir in the sweet chili sauce mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is slightly thickened.

4. Add the eggs back to the pan and stir together with the tomatoes, breaking up any large pieces with the spatula. Gently toss together and turn off heat after 30 seconds or when the mixture is heated through. Season with a drizzle of sesame oil and an extra pinch of salt and/or pepper as needed.

5. Remove to a serving dish. Garnish with the remaining minced scallion. Serve with white rice. 

Cut the tomatoes in half, scoop out the pulp and seeds and then chop.

Mince scallions.

Sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch.

Clockwise, bottom left to right: minced garlic, water, sweet chili sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil, cornstarch, minced scallion.

Mix together water, sweet chili sauce, ketchup, soy, sesame oil and cornstarch in a small bowl.

Cook the eggs until partially scrambled; remove to a bowl and set aside.

In the same pan, saute garlic and half of minced scallions in 1 tbsp. of veggie oil.

Add the diced tomato and sauté 1-2 minutes; add the sweet chili-ketchup mixture and cook, stirring frequently until the mixture is slightly thickened.

Gently blend together the eggs and tomato mixture. Season with sesame oil, and a little extra salt and pepper as needed.

Remove to serving dish and garnish with the remaining minced scallion. 
Serve with white rice.