Hudson's Kitchen: Tomato and Egg Stir-Fry
For me–and I believe for many of you–the most memorable scene from Ratatouille was the one where Anton Ego took a bite of the Ratatouille made by Remy the cute rat. The contemptuous critic froze at this moment as though he could not find a perfect expression for his emotion. The scene then took us on a tour of his mind where he recalled the first time he tasted this dish, as cooked by his mother.
Of course, that scene was supposed to tell us “anyone can cook”. But in contrast to all the imaginative character settings like intelligent rats and mechanical hair, that scene was exceptionally realistic, which was probably why it was so moving. In a way, food can be magical. It acts as the latent witness of our feelings and emotions, locking our memories in its captivating flavors.
Cooking naturally creates magic. It may sound a bit absurd, but as an international student, a traditional hometown dish always reminds me that I am still myself regardless of where I am. Now when the world, especially the U.S., has been hit with unprecedented challenges that are confronting humankind more than ever, I hope this dish brings you recollections of the positive memories that used to make you smile.
Tomato and Egg Stir-fry is a staple dish served in almost all the Chinese high school cafeterias. This nostalgic dish perfectly combines the virtue of color and flavor; its sweet and sour taste never gets old no matter served with sticky rice or noodles. Other than being very vegetarian-friendly it is also addictive to those of you who cannot get rid of an egg fetish (No offense Benjamin).
Ingredients
2-3 medium-sized tomatoes
3-4 eggs
1 leek or 1 spring onion
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sugar
½ tablespoon soy sauce
Salt to taste
Preparation
Fill a deep saucepan halfway with water then bring to a boil.
Rinse tomatoes thoroughly.
Gently place tomatoes into the saucepan and submerge into boiling water for 10-15 seconds. Set on a large cutting board. (Be careful not to spill any boiling water when putting them into the pan)
Peel the skins off the tomatoes. (Making a small and shallow cut that looks like a plus sign on the top of the tomatoes helps to peel the skins off)
On the cutting board, slice down the tomatoes into halves and remove the ends.
With each half of the tomatoes, slice it in half and chop each into several small diamond-shaped chunks. (For the discreet people, the tomato chunks are about 2 inches by 1 inch by 1 inch)
Crack two eggs into a bowl, and whisk them until bubbles are visible. Put a frying pan on the stove and turn on the gas to medium-low.
Clean the cutting board, then chop off 2-3 thin slices of leeks. (Twist your knife when chopping to achieve a bigger cross-section)
Cooking
Check if the pan is heated enough by dripping some water on it. (If the water sizzles and disappears instantly, the pan is ready for cooking)
When there is no water left on the frying pan, add ½ tablespoon vegetable oil, and spread evenly.
Slowly pour the eggs into the pan. Wait until you can see the eggs coagulate near the pan to scramble them. (Do not overcook - or caramelize the scrambled eggs) Place the eggs in a bowl and set aside.
Add the other ½ tablespoon’s oil into the pan, then add leek chops. Wait until you can smell the flavor coming out of the pan to put tomatoes in. (Slowly lay the tomatoes on the pan away from you so the oil would not spill)
Use the spatula to mix for about 30 seconds then add 1 tablespoon sugar. Keep mixing until the tomatoes look softer but not completely soggy.
Add ½ tablespoon soy sauce. (Soy sauce darkens the color of the dish and enriches the flavor)
Add scrambled eggs into the pan. Stir-fry for another 30 seconds then turn off the gas. Sprinkle no more than 1 teaspoon salt into tomatoes and eggs, and mix thoroughly.
Have a dinner plate ready. Lift the frying pan up and tilt it towards the plate, then gently lay the eggs and tomatoes on it.
Serving with sticky rice recommended.