Vegan Chinese Tomato & “Egg” Stir-Fry

Stir-fries with tomatoes and eggs were a staple at home growing up. Not only were they incredibly easy to prepare but also very cheap and affordable. This Chinese Tomato and ‘Egg’ Stir-Fry is my vegan take on the classic— but instead of using eggs, I use beancurd rolls or sheets to mimic the texture and also add protein into the mix.

This recipe is easy, delicious, and very tasty. The acidity from the tomatoes seasoned with soy sauce, sugar, and pepper is perfectly absorbed by the bean curd rolls creating an incredibly tasty dish, that’s perfect with rice.

WHY YOU'LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• It's easy and ready with a few key ingredients!
• The tomatoes give the sauce that richness and acidity that's perfectly balance by other seasonings
• This is great for a hearty meal with rice!

WHAT ARE BEAN CURD ROLLS/SHEETS?

This exact bean curd rolls I purchase come fried and are actually ready to eat as-is, but I personally love them in hotpot or Shabu Shabu since the pieces absorb liquid such as soups and sauces so well, and the texture is great.

It’s simply made of the same yuba or tofu skin sheets, but were fried and fried in oil to make them crispy.

DRIED OR FROZEN BEANCURD SKIN OR YUBA

You can purchase frozen Yuba or tofu skin, that’s usually fresh then frozen. These are usually a lighter/pale yellow hue has a distinct bite to them. It depends on the manufacturer if these will come in small cakes or sheets that are layered together.

There is also dried bean curd skin or yuba sheets, that you’ll need to rehydrate. These can be quite delicate and fragile to work with and will easily break apart, but it shouldn’t be a problem for this recipe since they’ll be easily integrated in the tomatoes and sauce.

I used these dried yuba or beancurd sheets for my Vegan Hainanese "Chicken" Recipe that you can check out here.

FROZEN BEANCURD/TOFU SKIN OR YUBA

Below are images of frozen yuba that I purchase from a local Chinese store. I simply thaw these and are immediately ready-to-use.

FOR THE STIR-FRY

• 1 lb ripe tomatoes (4-5 small)
• 1 tbsp neutral cooking oil
• 1 scallion , chopped (white and green parts separated)
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 2 tsp sugar
• 3.5 oz fried bean curd rolls or Yuba sheet (see recipe notes below)
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 tsp salt , or to taste
• Drizzle sesame oil

TO SERVE

• Steamed rice to serve
• Green onions for topping

NOTES FOR THE BEAN CURD ROLLS OR YUBA

• Yuba, or beancurd skin, can be purchased dried or frozen. I love the frozen ones cause they’re already rehydrated and divided into sheets/pieces and I simply have to thaw them. They have a smoother texture compared to bean curd rolls and work great with this recipe as well.
• If using frozen/fresh tofu skin or Yuba, you can use 200g rehydrated/thawed Yuba.
• If using dried tofu skin or Yuba that you have to soak to rehydrate, start with 3.5 oz or 100g.
• You can check online or at your local Asian store or supermarket for tofu skin.

HOW TO MAKE THIS VEGAN CHINESE TOMATO & "EGG" STIR-FRY

PREPARE THE TOMATOES

• Slice half of the tomatoes into wedges, and the remaining into large chunks (half of a wedge). I like to do so so I can cook down the chunks first and then add the wedges later on for an extra bite of tomato.

• Heat a large wok or skillet over medium heat. Once hot, stir-fry the white parts of the scallion. Add the garlic and stir-fry until aromatic, 30 seconds.
• Add the tomato chunks. Cook the tomatoes down for 2-3 minutes until the pieces start to cook down and release juices.
• Season the tomatoes with Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, white pepper, and sugar.

• Add in the beancurd rolls. Pour the water.
• Mix well and allow everything to come to a gentle simmer for the beancurd rolls to absorb the liquid and soften.
• You can cut the bean curd rolls or skin with a pair of kitchen scissors to yield smaller pieces/cuts.
• Season the sauce with salt, to taste.

• Add in the remaining tomato wedges and cook for 3-4 more minutes until the tomatoes are tender to your liking.
• Finish with a generous drizzle of sesame oil. Add some of the green onions (leave some for garnishing).

SERVE AND ENJOY

• Serve hot with steamed rice. Garnish with the remaining green onions. Enjoy!

MORE RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE

• Maple Hoisin Tofu
• Baked Peanut and Lime Tofu
• Tomato Gochujang Pasta
• Tom Yum Soup
• Crispy Salt and Pepper Tofu
• Sweet Chili Tofu Balls
• Sundubu Jjigae (Korean Soft Tofu Stew)
• Vegan Chili Sin Carne
• Tantanmen (Vegan Ramen)
• Peanut Satay Noodle Soup

Looking for more Vegan Asian recipes?

You can get a copy of my cookbook, Vegan Asian!

If you crave vegan-friendly versions of classic Asian dishes, this cookbook is packed with Southeast and East Asian dishes inspired by those I grew up enjoying at home and those I’ve tried from my travels. From iconic Thai dishes to piping-hot Japanese fare and everything in between, the recipes in this will take your palate on a delicious food trip across Asia, and hopefully keep you coming back for more!

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