Tomato Egg Rice Bowl

Name: Tomato Egg Rice Bowl
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 26 min
Total time: 41 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1 cup (200 g) jasmine rice, rinsed in cool water until the water runs mostly clear; 1¼ cups (300 ml) water, cool; 4 large (200 g) large eggs, cracked into a bowl; ¼ tsp (1½ g) kosher salt, fine or Diamond Crystal; use slightly less if using table salt; 1 tsp (5 ml) Shaoxing wine (optional); ⅛ tsp (0.3 g) ground white pepper (optional); 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil (such as canola or avocado); 1 lb (about 3 medium) (450 g) ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 8 wedges each, wedges halved crosswise if very large; 3 whole (45 g) scallions, white parts finely sliced, green parts thinly sliced and kept separate; 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil (such as canola or avocado); 1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar; ½ tsp (2½ g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; 1 tsp (5 ml) light soy sauce; 1 tbsp (17 g) ketchup (optional); 1 tsp (3 g) cornstarch; ¼ cup (60 ml) water, cool, stirred together with the cornstarch; 1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Soft, silky scrambled eggs folded into a glossy, sweet-tangy tomato sauce and spooned over fluffy jasmine rice. This classic Chinese home-style stir-fry comes together in about 50 minutes, most of it hands-off rice time.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 26 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 51 min
Makes: 2 generous bowls

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Ingredients

2 servings

For the rice
1 cup (200 g) jasmine rice, rinsed in cool water until the water runs mostly clear
1¼ cups (300 ml) water, cool
For the eggs
4 large (200 g) large eggs, cracked into a bowl
¼ tsp (1.5 g) kosher salt, fine or Diamond Crystal; use slightly less if using table salt
1 tsp (5 ml) Shaoxing wine (optional)
⅛ tsp (0.3 g) ground white pepper (optional)
2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil (such as canola or avocado)
For the tomato sauce
1 lb (about 3 medium) (450 g) ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 8 wedges each, wedges halved crosswise if very large
3 whole (45 g) scallions, white parts finely sliced, green parts thinly sliced and kept separate
1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil (such as canola or avocado)
1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar
½ tsp (2.5 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 tsp (5 ml) light soy sauce
1 tbsp (17 g) ketchup (optional)
1 tsp (3 g) cornstarch
¼ cup (60 ml) water, cool, stirred together with the cornstarch
To finish
1 tsp (5 ml) toasted sesame oil (optional)

Equipment (7)

Medium saucepan with tight-fitting lid (2–3 qt / 2–3 L) for the rice
12-inch (30 cm) wok or large nonstick skillet
Spatula or wok spatula
Medium mixing bowl for the eggs
Small bowl for the cornstarch slurry
Fine-mesh strainer or bowl for rinsing rice
Cutting board and sharp knife

Steps

Before you start

Start the rice first. It cooks and rests while you prep and stir-fry, so everything finishes together.
Use ripe, red, juicy tomatoes. Pale, hard tomatoes make a watery, bland sauce.
Stir-frying moves fast. Have the eggs, tomatoes, scallions, and slurry measured and within reach before you turn on the heat.
This recipe has two sugar-and-salt additions: salt goes into both the eggs and the tomatoes, so use the amounts listed for each step.

1
Cook the rice
- Rinse the rice in a strainer under cool running water, swishing with your hand, for about 1 minute until the water is mostly clear.
- Add the rinsed rice and 1¼ cups (300 ml) water to a medium saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to the lowest heat, cover tightly, and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Turn off the heat and let the rice rest, still covered, for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
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Ready when: All the water is absorbed, and the grains are tender, separate, and fluffy
Tip: Do not lift the lid during cooking or resting; escaping steam leaves the rice hard and uneven.
2
Prep the ingredients
- While the rice cooks, cut the tomatoes into wedges and slice the scallions, keeping the whites and greens in separate piles.
- In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with ¼ tsp salt, the Shaoxing wine, and the white pepper (if using) for about 30 seconds, until no streaks of white remain.
- In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch into ¼ cup (60 ml) cool water until smooth.
- Set everything next to the stove.
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Ready when: Eggs are uniformly yellow with no visible white streaks; cornstarch is fully dissolved
Tip: Cornstarch settles quickly, so re-stir the slurry right before you add it.
3
Scramble the eggs
- Heat a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for about 1 minute.
- Add 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil and swirl to coat; it should shimmer.
- Pour in the eggs.
- Let them set for about 10 seconds until the edges puff, then gently push from the edges to the center with a spatula, forming large, soft curds.
- Cook for 30–45 seconds total, then transfer to a clean plate while still slightly wet and glossy.
- They will finish cooking later.
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Ready when: Large, puffy curds that are set on the outside but still look slightly wet and glossy inside
Tip: Pull the eggs out earlier than you think; they cook again in the sauce, and overcooking makes them rubbery.
4
Sizzle scallions, fry tomatoes
- Return the pan to medium-high heat without wiping it.
- Add 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil, then the scallion whites, and stir for 15 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the tomato wedges and ½ tsp salt.
- Stir-fry for 3–4 minutes, pressing gently on the wedges with the spatula, until the skins start to loosen and curl and the tomatoes release their juices.
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Ready when: Tomatoes are softening, skins are loosening, and the pan has a layer of red juice
Tip: If the scallions begin to brown, lower the heat slightly; burnt scallions turn the sauce bitter.
5
Simmer the sauce
- Add the sugar, soy sauce, and ketchup (if using), and stir to combine.
- Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 3–4 minutes, until the tomatoes are mostly collapsed, and the sauce smells sweet and tangy.
- Taste and add a pinch more salt or sugar if needed to balance the acidity.
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Ready when: Tomatoes are soft and broken down, with a jammy, slightly saucy texture
Tip: If the tomatoes are very firm and the pan looks dry, add 1–2 tbsp water to prevent scorching.
6
Thicken the sauce
- Re-stir the slurry and pour it into the pan while stirring.
- Cook for 30–60 seconds, until the sauce turns glossy and coats the back of a spoon.
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Ready when: Sauce is glossy, slightly thickened, and bubbling gently
7
Fold in the eggs
- Return the eggs and any juices on the plate to the pan.
- Gently fold for 30 seconds to coat the eggs in the sauce and heat them through.
- Turn off the heat, then stir in the sesame oil (if using) and half of the scallion greens.
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Ready when: Eggs are fully set (no runny liquid) but still tender, and coated in sauce
Tip: Fold gently so the curds stay large and fluffy rather than breaking into small crumbs.
8
Assemble the bowls
- Divide the fluffy rice between two bowls.
- Spoon the tomato and egg mixture over the rice, letting the sauce soak into the rice.
- Top with the remaining scallion greens and serve immediately.
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Ready when: Rice is hot and the sauce is glossy and steaming
Tip: Serve right away; the eggs absorb the sauce and the rice softens if left to sit.

Good to know

Tips

Cook the eggs in more oil than you expect; the generous 2 tbsp is what makes them puffy and silky.
Adjust the sugar to your tomatoes: sweeter tomatoes need less, while tart ones may need up to ½ tsp more.
For a deeper tomato flavor, let the tomatoes fry a minute or two longer in step 4 before adding the seasonings.
Make the dish heartier by adding a drizzle of chili crisp on top at the table.

Make ahead

"Cook the rice up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container. The tomato sauce (through step 6, without the eggs) can be made up to 2 days ahead; reheat until simmering, then add freshly scrambled eggs just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: store the tomato-egg mixture and rice separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Freezer: not recommended for the eggs, but plain cooked rice freezes for up to 1 month. Reheat the tomato-egg mixture in a skillet over medium-low heat or in the microwave in 30-second bursts, adding a splash of water if it looks thick; reheat the rice covered with a damp paper towel in the microwave until steaming hot."

Substitutions

jasmine rice → 2½–3 cups (about 450–500 g) leftover cooked rice, reheated. Skips step 1; rice that is a day old and reheated works well.
ripe tomatoes → 1 can (14 oz / 400 g) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand. Reduce the water in the slurry to 2 tbsp and simmer a little longer; the flavor is less fresh, but it works out of season.
Shaoxing wine → dry sherry or a pinch more salt. The wine helps remove any eggy smell; leaving it out is fine.
neutral oil (such as canola or avocado) → lard or ghee. Adds richer flavor; use the same amount.