All recipes are for 2 servings unless noted. Oil is canola oil and salt is kosher salt.

2014-03-26

Tomato to asupara, tamago no itamemono, XO-jan soosu gake / fried tomato, asparagus and egg with XO sauce

This is one of the asparagus dishes that comes to mind when I see the vegetable start to appear at grocery stores in spring. An easy Chinese-style dish that pleases both your eye and palate.




1/2 of recipe:
122 calories; 5.7 g protein; 8.2 g fat; 7.9 g carbohydrate; 6.2 g net carbs; 153 mg sodium; 107 mg cholesterol; 1.7 g fiber


<Ingredients>


1 tomato (124 g in photo)
Several asparagus spears (106 g in photo)
1 egg

For egg mixture
1/4 tsp shiokoji salted rice malt (not in photo)
Black pepper, to taste (not in photo)
1 tsp katakuriko potato starch + water

For XO-jan sauce
1 green onion
1 small knob ginger
2 1/2 tsp XO sauce
1/4 tsp kurozu brown rice vinegar
2 tsp Shaoxing wine
4 tbsp chicken stock
Black pepper, to taste (not in photo)
1 tsp katakuriko potato starch + water

2 tsp oil


<Directions>
1.

Cut asparagus into 3-4 cm, place in a microwaveable container, and microwave for 30-40 seconds (until just starting to soften). 

Uncover to let hot air escape.










2.

Core tomato, make crisscross cut on bottom end, and blanch for 40-60 seconds.

Quickly transfer to ice water, and let cool.






Remove skin, and dice.










3.

Finely chop green onion and ginger.









4.

Lightly beat egg, and add shiokoji, black pepper and potato starch + water mixture.










Add asparagus and tomato, and mix well.











5.

In a frying pan, heat oil (high or medium high).

Pour egg + vegetable mixture, and quickly fry, making sure to maintain relatively high temperature.














Transfer to a serving plate.










6.

Reduce heat somewhat, put green onion and ginger in same frying pan, and saute until fragrant.
Add XO sauce, and continue sauteing until aromatic. 











7.

Add kurozu, Shaoxing wine and chicken stock, stir, and bring to boil.












8.

Swirl in potato starch + water mixture, and stir.

When sauce thickens to desired degree (consistency of loose gravy), pour over egg + vegetables in serving dish.
Serve hot.







<Notes>
  • Instead of microwaving, asparagus can be blanched in the same hot water used for tomato. With both microwaving and blanching, make sure to stop cooking asparagus when color starts to brighten somewhat. If you wait for asparagus to turn a vivid bright green, it will be too soft. The goal for asparagus is somewhat firm and juicy in the final dish.
  • Select a ripe tomato that is still firm to the touch.
  • If using a regular salad tomato, discard 1/4 or 1/3 of liquid that emerges after cutting so that egg mixture does not become watery (this is not necessary when using two eggs).
  • Potato starch + water mixture is added to egg mixture to bind everything together.
  • Using two eggs would make this dish much richer. In this case, use at least 1 tbsp oil to fry egg + vegetable mixture for fluffy results. The amount of sauce above should be enough for the two-egg version.

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