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Tomato Fried Rice

3.3

(4)

Fried rice topped with a pile of halved cherry tomatoes and sliced green onions.
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton

A handful of the tomatoes are cooked with scallions in the rice, while the rest are served on top. But the secret is generously salting the sliced tomatoes before cooking—it concentrates all that tomato flavor and lets out some of the liquid.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

4 scallions
1 lb. cherry and/or grape tomatoes of any and all colors
Kosher salt
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, finely grated
1½ tsp. finely grated peeled ginger
2½ cups chilled cooked long-grain white or brown rice
3 large eggs, beaten to blend
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
Extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
Crushed red pepper flakes (for serving; optional)
½ lemon

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Trim dark green tops from scallions and thinly slice; set aside. Thinly slice white and pale green parts; set aside separately. Quarter any larger tomatoes and halve any small ones. Place about one-quarter of tomatoes in a small bowl; season generously with salt and toss to combine. Set aside.

    Step 2

    Heat 1 Tbsp. sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add reserved white and pale green parts of scallions and remaining ¾ of tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and any liquid from tomatoes has evaporated, about 4 minutes. Mix in garlic and ginger; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add rice and stir to separate grains. Cook just to heat rice through, about 3 minutes.

    Step 3

    Scoot vegetables and rice to 1 side of skillet, then pour half of remaining sesame oil into pan. Add eggs and cook, stirring often, until just set, about 1 minute. Mix into vegetables and rice, then drizzle in soy sauce and cook, stirring, just until well combined.

    Step 4

    Transfer fried rice to a large bowl or platter. Drain salted tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil, and spoon over rice. Sprinkle with reserved scallion tops and red pepper flakes (if using) and drizzle with remaining sesame oil. Finely grate zest from lemon over.

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