1. The kitchen I still carry with me
I call them my mom’s special tomato scrambled eggs because she made them on occasion. I used to be woken up by the smell of tomatoes and spice, and I knew she had whipped up my favorite breakfast. This recipe is one that I couldn’t allow to fade with memory like my childhood. This is the type of recipe I would pass on to my kids one day.
My mom’s tomato scrambled eggs were always a reminder, as simple as the gesture was, just how much she loved putting into preparing us food. She was quite creative in the kitchen.
This is one of my favorite family breakfast recipes, along with soft porridge, made the South African way.
This is a family recipe that I’m sharing with you because I want you to experience the deliciousness that I have.
2. Why this dish still matters to me
My mom made her special scrambled eggs every other weekend, when time slowed down, and we were able to enjoy breakfast as a family. A lot of preparation goes into making tomato scrambled eggs, so she saved it for days she didn’t have to rush.
Now that I’m an adult and I’m so far from home, when I get homesick, I tend to make my favorite recipes I grew up on. Tomato scrambled eggs are one of my favorites. I always find myself going back to it.
It’s a simple, inexpensive dish that you can make at any time and that’s part of the reason I love it so much.
3. My mom’s Tomato scrambled eggs (the way I remember them)
Ingredients
- White onion
- Fresh Tomatoes
- Spices
- Oil
- Eggs
Method
- Chop the white onions.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Add the onions and cook until soft.
- Add the spices and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring often.
- Mix the sugar into the grated tomatoes, then add the tomatoes to the pan.
- Stir well and allow to cook for at least 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs and gently mix them into the tomato mixture.
- Cook for a couple of minutes, scrambling to your liking.
- Serve warm
My mom didn’t use a recipe or any measurements; she adjusted based on smell and sound. That’s the beauty of cooking without measurements: you turn it into your own dish, and that’s exactly what she did.
Somehow, she was able to feed us healthy fruit and vegetables without making them boring. Tomatoes have a lot of health benefits, and because they taste so good with eggs, I never thought twice about eating them.
4. What changes when I make tomato scrambled eggs now
I make my mom’s scrambled eggs exactly the way that she does. I’m normally pretty open about trying different ingredients when it comes to food, but this recipe doesn’t need any adjusting. At times, I’ll make it spicier than usual, for an extra kick, but that’s pretty much all I do.
Making my mom’s scrambled eggs always feels bittersweet; it often takes me back to a time when I was just a child enjoying this special meal she made me. And now, I don’t only get to make it for myself, but for my family too. Cooking makes me feel connected to my past, my childhood, my family, and there are certain recipes, special recipes that I get to pass along to the next generation, and that makes me so excited.
5. The meals we don’t talk about enough
We always remember the birthday cake and candy we used to enjoy as kids, but not weekday breakfasts. The very meals that shape us. What was your favorite meal growing up?
6. If I ever forget anything, I won’t forget this
My mom’s tomato scrambled eggs is a recipe that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. This dish is a memory I carry forward.
Tomato scrambled eggs
Equipment
- 1 frying pan or a skillet
- 1 cutting board
- 1 Sharp Knife
- 1 Wooden Spoon or a spatula
- 1 bowl for cracking the eggs
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 medium white onion
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 2 large tomatoes
- 1 tsp white sugar to balance the acidity and bring out the tomato's natural sweetness
- 4 medium eggs
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium pan and chop your onions
- Add the onions and cook until soft
- Add the spices and cook for an additional two minutes, stirring often.
- Grate your tomatoes and add sugar to the tomatoes before adding them to your pan
- Stir the grated tomatoes well and allow to cook for at least 5 minutes
- Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat them with a fork, then add them to the tomato mixture
- Cook them for a couple of minutes, scrambling to your liking.
- They may take a little longer to cook since they're being cooked with the tomatoes
- Serve warm
