Scrambled Eggs, Chinese Style

At lunch with my colleagues not too long ago, I ordered one of my favorite Chinese foods for the first time in Hong Kong. In Cantonese, it is called faan ke daan faan, which just means 'tomato egg rice'. Basically it is scrambled eggs with onion and tomatoes, in a bit of tomatoey sauce.

I was first introduced to this tasty dish during large group dinners at Chinese banquet restaurants when I was in Beijing for the 2008 Summer Olympics, and I ate it throughout my stay there. I have very fond memories of it, but until recently, I had not eaten it at all in Hong Kong.

One reason for this is that I had only seen it on menus including shrimp as well as egg and tomato, which rather diminished its appeal for me. Plus, I did not know how to order it in Chinese until now, and many cha chaan tengs do not have English menus.

For Westerners, it may seem strange to eat eggs with rice, as we would normally have toast or hash browns instead. And, we don't typically eat eggs beyond breakfast time. However, this dish is flavorful and wholesome, and I highly recommend it!