For The Best Chinese Tomato Egg Stir Fry, Keep This Tip In Mind

One authentic Chinese dish you might not have tried is tomato egg stir fry, or jia chang cai. In its simplest form, the dish features eggs combined with tomatoes, seasonings, and sometimes garlic or scallions. There are also many variations depending on the region you find it and the family who cooks the eggs. It's certainly a delicious way to spruce up eggs for breakfast or to serve as an easy weeknight dinner. No matter how you make your Chinese tomato egg stir fry, it's important not to overcook the eggs.

To avoid overcooking the eggs, start with a cold pan so the eggs slowly begin to cook as the pan reaches its peak temperature. Before the eggs finish cooking, while they're still runny in the middle of the pan, turn off the heat and remove the pan from the burner. Don't worry, the eggs will continue to cook but the recipe relies on soft scrambled eggs so they shouldn't be hard because they will go back in the pan later with the tomatoes.

If you don't follow that essential tip your eggs will quickly overcook. To help avoid this, use a wok or pan over medium heat after the eggs and oil are already in the pan. As soon as the bottom of the eggs starts to form, use your best spatula or chopsticks to push the eggs to the center before it's time to turn the heat off again. The eggs should only be in the pan for a few minutes in the first round. After you remove the eggs, cook the tomatoes and other ingredients, then add the eggs back into the pan for a couple of minutes.

Since we're talking about eggs, there are a few other tips for this Chinese dish. Along with the oil and eggs, authentic recipes also add Shaoxing wine or another rice wine, so add about a teaspoon for every three eggs. You can also add scallions, garlic, salt, or soy sauce. To make it a complete meal, serve it with steamed rice that you can cook with our tips for cooking with rice, and consider some sriracha or chili crisp oil to finish the dish with spice.