Chinese tomato sauce is an easy recipe that is ready to be at your dinner table in under 15 minutes, also filling your kitchen with its delicious aroma. This match of ripe tomato and egg seems to be made in heaven for the Chinese people. They all agree with the statement.
Even if you are not Chinese and you have tried this simple dish in your lifetime, you will more than agree with me. This dish is nostalgic in so many ways that it brings the cooking spirit like a Chinese chef making this for the first time.
Chinese tomato omelet has got a lot of variations up-till now. This dish requires only basic ingredients like egg, tomatoes, salt, white pepper, sugar, and sesame oil but you can add more ingredients than this for that extra kick.
The traditional way of making a Chinese tomato omelet is to make a scrambled egg with tomatoes, stir-fried it in a red tomato sauce in the wok (a big Chinese frying pan), and serve it with rice or as you like it for yourself.
As there are many variations on the internet, I am going to share my recipe with you tonight for the most scrumptious dish right in front of you in the shortest time.
I have promised to share my recipe for this dish, but let me first tell you how this dish was introduced.
The great history of the tomato-infused omelet in Chinese
Scrambled eggs have been eaten in Chinese countries for decades, but adding tomatoes to the eggs was influenced by western cuisine. Most western restaurants use tomatoes in their dishes that were made in China during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican Era.
This use of tomatoes made Chinese people so curious that they started to experiment with their dishes with tomatoes in them and they loved the sweet and sour taste of it. It was first popular around Shanghai, the most cosmopolitan Chinese city at that time.
Then, in the 1920s and 1930s, it became famous in restaurants all around China, and stir-fried tomato omelets began to sell out in restaurants and school canteens. All because it was easy to make with a whole lot of flavors and proteins.
It is also said that in 1940, this dish was fully spread into every nuke and corner of China’s country, sold into the streets, and made into homes traditionally.
The ingredients needed to make Tomato Chinese Omelet
This yummiest and easiest Chinese cuisine dish, in my way, needs some of the crunchiest and juicy ingredients to make you drool every time you make this dish. The list is short and specific.
Here is all you need:
- Eggs
- Tomatoes
- Spring onions
- Shallots
- Garlic
- Chives
- Pepper
- Oyster sauce
- Soy sauce
- Sesame oil
Gather all the following ingredients and get your hands on this delicious dish.
Detailed Recipe
- Chop down enough spring onions, shallots, garlic cloves, and chives into small cubes just like chopping done in the Chinese way; small, fine while the same in size.
- Add sesame oil to your wok or the frying pan and heat it to shallow stir fry the onions, shallots, and chives.
- Slice your tomatoes in cubes, longitudinal or quarterly (as per choice) and add those tomato slices to the same pan and wait for them to get soft.
The omelet:
- Just in time, when the tomatoes get softened, pour the egg mixture into the wok and add the secret ingredient to it, i.e., oyster sauce. This will give the omelet a sour and tangled taste.
- A little tip for the fluffy omelet: when you pour the egg mixture, stir it back and forth for it to be big and chunky pieces.
- When the stir-fried Chinese tomato omelet is ready, serve it with hot and steaming rice, with the garnishes of your own choice.
Watch this video to see how this dish is made.
Nutritional Value:
Eating your favorite food more often can make you look huge and may affect the body system that you have been maintaining through yoga and whatnot. But do you need to worry about munching on a Chinese tomato omelet every other day? not really.
However, to be honest, apart from the whole protein-packed meal, the fried part could lead to a cholesterol increase in your body. No need to wander for the calculation of the meal as I got your back.
Here is the total amount of nutrients in a single serving of a Chinese tomato omelet.
| Nutritional value | Per serving |
| Carbs | 10 g |
| Dietary fibers | 2 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
| Fat | 10.7 g |
| Protein | 9.7 g |
| Sodium | 150.7 mg |
| Potassium | 183.4 mg |
| Cholesterol | 317.9 mg |
| Vitamin A | 14.7% |
| Vitamin C | 7% |
| Calcium | 3.9% |
| Iron | 7% |
Are eggs and tomatoes healthy?
Eggs and tomatoes are rich in proteins and contain all the vitamins and minerals that tend to help increase our immunity. An egg contains choline, which helps in the building blocks of the cell membranes, while tomatoes are rich in lycopene and vitamin C and act as antioxidants that protect the body from prostate cancer and other similar cancer types.
Where did tomato and egg originate from?
The tomato and egg ultimate originate from the China region and became popular in Shanghai, China. Later on, it got the hype in every part of the country and was sold in streets and restaurants; this dish is served tempting hot with rice and garnished with toppings like prawns, chives, spring onions, etc.
The Chinese tomato omelet is traditionally made with only five main ingredients: egg, tomato, salt, sugar, and oil.
Where is Shakshuka from?
Shakshuka is a delicate dish made with gently poached eggs, drenched in chunky tomato and spicy bell pepper sauce. It is said to have originated from Tunisia and is widely popular in the Middle East and northern Africa for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Shakshuka is similar to the Italian dish “Turkish Menemen”, or “eggs in purgatory.”
Is tomato good for breakfast?
Tomatoes are very rich in vitamins and certain minerals, which help to increase the internal immune system. They are highly rich in vitamin C, and eating them for breakfast can make up for 40% of your vitamin C body requirement on that day.
Also, they are rich in potassium, which will lower your elevated blood pressure, thus improving cardiovascular activity.
Tips for the perfect egg-infused dish:
Want to know the secret tips for making a chef-like Chinese tomato omelet? Well, I am here to reveal those tips to you just so you can show the magic through your cooking.
- When you add the whisked egg into the wok, stir the mixture continuously with the spoon as it will make the fluffiest and chunkiest omelet.
- Don’t overcook it. Whenever the omelet is ready, turn off the heat and put it aside.
- Prepare your chopping ingredients in advance.
- Use the tomato in an equal ratio to the egg, i.e., 1:1, etc.
- Use the ripened tomatoes. I prefer the Campari tomatoes as they are juicy, sweet, and less acidic.
- Cut tomatoes into large pieces to prevent them from crumbling or breaking apart when cooked.
- You can boil the tomatoes in hot water for easy skin peeling by scoring an X cut above the tomato, boiling it until the skin starts to peel back, and dropping them in the ice bath for easy peeling.
Follow these golden tips to achieve the eye-appealing and jaw-drooling Chinese tomato omelet.
Summary
Chinese tomato omelet is a Chinese cuisine dish that originated in the China region in the late Qing Dynasty and Republican Era. This dish is served tempting hot with rice and some garnishes like prawns, spring onions, chives, and many different side dishes.
This dish is made with basic ingredients like eggs, tomatoes, salt, sugar, and oil. That’s the reason it is highly populated in the student community, houses, restaurants, and even in the streets.
An average Chinese omelet is packed with a whole pack of essential vitamins and minerals that are good for the health of an average person. It’s not a basic dish, and it’s not even easy to master. Timing, texture, and balanced taste are the keys to traditionally making any Chinese dish.
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