Tomato and egg

Ingredientsserves 4

Method

1. Beat the eggs lightly with a pinch of salt; do not whip them to a foam.
2. Heat the wok hard, add two tablespoons of oil until it just smokes, pour in the eggs, let the edges set, push once or twice and lift out at seven or eight parts done, still wet on top.
3. Fry the tomato wedges in the remaining oil for about two minutes until the edges soften and give up juice.
4. Add the sugar, salt and three tablespoons of water; cook two to three minutes until the juice reduces and the tomatoes are soft but still hold their shape.
5. Add ketchup if you use it; otherwise thicken with a little cornflour slurry.
6. Return the eggs, fold through for half a minute so they finish in the sauce, scatter the spring onion and serve at once.

Take care

• Contains egg. The eggs go back into the sauce at the end and are served soft; for young children, the elderly and in pregnancy cook until no liquid egg remains.

The story

Tomato and egg is the shared beginner's dish of every Chinese kitchen; Chinese Wikipedia traces its earliest printed recipe to a 1935 horticultural magazine, when tomatoes were still a garden novelty. In Hong Kong it is the school-canteen and kindergarten dish, and the one every family argues about: sugar or not, ketchup or not, wet or dry.

Same technique

Choy sum with beefGinger and spring onion beefClams in black bean and chilli

Lo Fo Tong is cultural food-heritage reference, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, unwell or on medication, talk to your doctor or registered practitioner before changing what is in the pot.