Chinese Stir Fried Tomatoes and Eggs

Ingredients

NOTE: Text in [brackets] indicates Anika's variation to Francis' recipe

• Steamed rice, for serving (I suggest 4 cups uncooked rice, cooked according to package directions)
• Ginger Scallion Sauce, for serving (recipe follows)
• 12 eggs
• Salt, to taste
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 pounds beefsteak tomatoes in-season, or canned diced tomatoes in juice (one 32-ounce can)
• 8 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 scallions, sliced
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger (about 1⁄2-inch piece)

Ginger Scallion Sauce

• 2 ounces ginger (about a 3-inch piece), peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch chunks
• 6 ounces scallions (1 large or 2 small bunches), cut into 1-inch lengths
• 2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1 cup peanut or vegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1
   Prepare the rice and ginger scallion sauce.
2. 2
   In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs well with salt to taste (the eggs are raw at this point), sesame oil, and rice wine. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 4 tablespoons of water until well combined, then stir in the sugar and ketchup.
3. 3
   If using fresh tomatoes, cut them into 1⁄2-inch wide wedges.
4. 4
   Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat with 3 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is lightly smoking, add most of the scallions, saving some to garnish. Cook, stirring, until very aromatic, about 20 seconds. Add the eggs and cook, stirring well with a spatula or chopsticks, until just-set but still runny, about 45 seconds. Pour the egg back into the mixing bowl and wipe out the pan.
5. 5
   Reheat the pan over high heat with the remaining tablespoon of oil. When hot, add the ginger and cook until aromatic, about 15 seconds. Add the tomatoes and salt to taste; cook, stirring occasionally, until the flesh has softened but still has some shape and the juices have begun to form a sauce, 4 minutes. (If using canned tomatoes, add the juice as well and cook for about 4 minutes to reduce it to a sauce-like consistency.)
6. 6
   Reduce the heat to medium. Give the cornstarch-ketchup mixture a stir in its bowl, then quickly stir it into the pan. Cook, stirring, until the mixture returns to a boil and thickens.
7. 7
   Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, sugar, or more ketchup — you want a savory, tart-sweet sauce. Stir the eggs in the bowl to cut up the curds a bit, then return them to the pan. Cook, stirring, for a few seconds to finish cooking the eggs and to combine.
8. 8
   Top with the reserved scallions and serve with steamed rice.

Ginger Scallion Sauce

9. 1
   Place the ginger in the bowl of a food processor and process until the ginger is finely minced but not mushy. Scrape it into a large, tall, heatproof bowl. Be sure to use a large bowl — bigger than you would think — because you will be adding hot oil to the scallions and ginger, which will bubble up like lava.
10. 2
    Add the scallions to the processor and mince until they are the same size as the ginger.
11. 3
    Scrape them into the bowl with the ginger.
12. 4
    Salt the ginger and scallions like they called your mother a bad name and stir it well. It should taste a little too salty.
13. 5
    Heat the oil in a (large sauté) pan until it begins to smoke, then pour it into the large bowl with the ginger and scallions. Stir lightly. When cool enough to taste, try it — if it tastes too sharp, like raw ginger and scallion, pour it into the pot and simmer for a minute or two, but no more.
14. 6
    Let cool to room temperature and serve. **[Add some sauce on top of eggs and rice. Keeps 2-3 weeks covered and refrigerated.]**