Fannie Tao, PE, Structural Engineer II, Baltimore, MD
The love language in Fannie's household when she was growing up was food. Fannie was blessed to be surrounded by family members who were amazing chefs and regularly made dishes from different cultures. Her mom, especially, is a pro at cooking the most flavorful food in record time.
"She can effortlessly make three dishes for dinner for our family of 4 in less than an hour," Fannie says. "One of these quick but delicious dishes that I learned from her was tomato and egg stir fry. It became a go-to dish when I moved out. Plus, I can guarantee that most people already have these ingredients at home!"
Scrambled eggs have been eaten in China for thousands of years, but cooking them with tomatoes is a result of mixing Chinese and Western cuisine. In the 1920s and 1930s, stir-fried tomato and scrambled eggs was sold at restaurants. It was around the 1940s that records of the home-cooked style stir-fried tomato and scrambled egg dish emerged.
Nowadays, every Chinese household has its own recipe for tomato and egg stir fry. Some families prefer the stir fry saucier (like Fannie's!), some will add additional ingredients like oyster sauce or ginger, and some serve it with rice while others serve it with noodles. The possibilities are endless for this versatile dish that anyone can enjoy! Its versatility is a good representation of the diversity within a culture and how culture is not monolithic but rather, unique and dynamic.
