Jul 10

Jul 10 Inheritance Tracks

Breakfast, Breakfast Brunch Lunch, Chinese, Eggs, Fruit Vegetables, Tomatoes, Vegetarian, Robert Jones

Travelling through life, it’s inevitable that we gather foody favourites as we go.

As a child, it was Indian Toast (Eggy Bread), Angel Delight and uncooked cake mix, then quiches and a succession of speciality cuisines as I moved about the country and abroad.

One thing I retain from my two years in China is actually the simple pleasure of Tomato Egg Stir Fry. A perfect breakfast on a blisteringly hot Sunday morning. Light and tasty.

As we were often working late, towards a radio show that went out at 7pm, and our shifts rarely ended before 10pm, the bosses arranged for these little trays of food to be delivered for the team at about 6pm. For me that was always too late as I was in mid-prep for the show. My colleagues had also long since forsaken the ‘dubious’ output from the official canteen (the trays cost 27p) and were busily buying food online and getting it delivered. It seemed to be a major past-time.

Anyhow … come end of shift, there was usually a pile of neglected uneaten trays of food, and it was almost expected that whoever wanted to take them, could.

The trays were divided up into four sections. A ‘meat’ area, some rice, a vegetable and a dessert. None of which was immediately identifiable, apart from the occasional Egg and Tomato Stir Fry. That could be eaten immediately with no further prep. The rest needed serious consideration, and often ended being turfed into a stock pan … even the dessert on occasions.

But the Eggy Tomato … that was fine, identifiable and comforting. Also, it could be replicated on non-work days.

Plus it only takes 10 mins to cook.

You need to make a very thick silky omelette to begin. Don’t overcook it. But equally it musn’t be runny or it turns to mush in the pan.

Cook off some garlic and spring onions in a pan or wok. Add tomatoes, a little sugar and water, some oyster sauce if you have some, and cook till soft. Add the eggs and combine roughly. You want big chunks of unbroken omelette. Season to serve.

Even quicker is to make some scrambled egg in the microwave. Serve with rice if you like.