Scrambled Eggs and Tomato
"Your mom never made this for you?" –Mom
... Mom, horrified, asks my cousins, who are stuffing their face with her scrambled eggs and tomato. We were in Puerto Vallarta that summer—Mom and I with her sister and her family—and needed a quick breakfast before hitting the beach.
You probably grew up with cereal and some fruit as your quick and nutritious breakfast. Not so much for the Phan, and in this case, Chung clan. My aunt and her family live close to an awesome Chinatown in California, so they purchased and brought lap cheong (Chinese sausage), rice, and a RICE COOKER to Mexico.
Yes, it really happened. So the next time you think, "God, my family's weird," note that if they didn't bring a rice cooker to Mexico, then they're probably not as bad as you think.
And so, when it was Mom's turn to make breakfast, she turned on the rice cooker, tossed in some rice and lap cheong to get that going, and then started chopping tomatoes and cracking eggs.
Her final product: scrambled eggs with tomato, served with rice and lap cheong—a classic Chinese breakfast. So much so that it's nicknamed the "Chinese Flag" because it's yellow and red, the national colors of China. Go to any village in southern China and you'll see sidewalk vendors selling it by the bowl and regular customers chowing down on the sidewalk before starting their day.
It's incredibly simple and SO delicious that you won't believe it took you this long to make it. I mean Mom had to make thirds because my cousins polished it off it within minutes.
Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS (FOR 2)
| 4 eggs | 2 tsp soy sauce |
| 1 garlic clove | Oil for pan |
| 1 large tomato* |
*I used beefsteak because that's what's used in the classic recipe, but experiment with heirloom tomatoes or really any that you have a preference for—I've certainly done so with some really pleasing results.
PREPARE
1. Crack the eggs and whisk with a fork until well mixed. I like doing this in a mason jar because it lets me get really aggressive with the whisking with less fear of spillage. Set aside.
2. Mince garlic clove.
3. Dice tomatoes into rough one-inch cubes; they don't need to be perfect.
COOK
1. Heat up a pan on medium with oil and minced garlic.
2. Toss in tomatoes and stir for a few minutes until you get a great whiff of blended garlic and tomatoes.
3. Turn down the stove to low and slowly pour the eggs into the pan, immersing the tomatoes.
4. Add the soy sauce and, using a fork, quickly whisk the mixture until eggs are fluffy to your preference.
EAT
You can top the dish with scallion for garnish before serving with rice, and if available, lap cheong.