Taiwanese tomato omelette

I have tended to make this dish using the same method as magic eggs. I have tended to be disappointed with the result as the tomato dilutes the taste of the omelette and chilli. In fact I mentioned this to the lady with the stroke. She said she loved tomato omelet and wanted to make it that day. And Oh! it was a different recipe. 

Slice the tomatoes into 8 wedges.

So beat 3 eggs.

Heat some oil.

When it is piping hot, add the eggs. Swirl the pan, but don't mix the eggs. I think we are looking for the bottom to be well cooked and a little brown. It gives the flavour. 

When it is almost cooked through turn the eggs/omelette over. 

Add the tomato wedges and stir, breaking up the egg.

Add soy sauce for flavour. 

Add chopped spring onions

I haven't tasted it yet. 

Ma Po Tou Fu

I have been cooking for a lady who had a stroke. She has always cooked for the family, and now since her stroke, she cannot use her right hand very well. She is very upbeat about her disabilities and tries to do as much as she can. We are a great team - she the instructor and me the willing doer. Our chats while things are getting done is throughly gossipy.

I am learning a new style of cooking. She hardly uses garlic. The onions come from spring onions added in the end.

She uses a soft tofu that is not the silken type and not the hard chou tofu. After cutting into 1 cm cubes, it is put into salted boiling water until the water boils again. The tofu is then strained, it remains firm.

Heat a little oil, and fry the meat. I fried onion/garlic/ginger before adding the meat. But I think this is unnecessary. The next time I will probably double cook the meat. I shall wash the meat in hot water, remove and strain then add it to the oil to fry.

Add the boiled tofu and heat with the meat for a few minutes before adding soy sauce and the Taiwanese Chilli Bean sauce.

Coat the sauce thoroughly through the meat and tofu. Allow it all to heat and cook through. 

Add chopped spring onions and serve

Another tip I learnt from her: When cooking ready made frozen jiaoza, put it frozen in cold water to boil. When the water starts to boil, add a cup of cold water and let it boil again. When it boils the second time, it is cooked. I think this way, the skin is less likely to break.