Shrimp & Egg Stir Fry

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Big flavors: Something magical happens with you stir fry ginger, green onions and tomatoes together with a little soy sauce and sesame oil. Once you add a little splash of water, you have the most flavorful self-saucing ginger scallion sauce EVER!
• Delightful Textures: The eggs are soft and tender. The tofu has a light sear, and the juicy shrimp have a tender snap or crunch when you take that first bite.
• 💪 High Protein Meal: Up to 24 mg protein per serving.
• Gluten-free recipe adaptable
• "EGGceptable" (because eggs can really be eaten any time of the day). As a matter of fact, we had a bowl this morning for breakfast. It kept us powered up strong all morning long.
• Eat Lucky Shrimp for the Chinese New Year because shrimp symbolize happiness and joy!
• Short on Time Dinner Solution: Even if you shrimp are still frozen solid when you come home from work- you can still get dinner on the table in under 20 minutes. More helpful hacks on thawing shrimp in the recipe card.

Ingredients with Traditional Chinese Nutritional Information

There are 5 energies of foods cold, cool, neutral, warming and hot foods, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The goal is to balance the energy of food in a recipe to maintain your bodies' hemostasis. Each one of us has a different body constitution but neutral foods are tolerated by all body types. As you can see, there is a nice mix of warming, cooling and neutral foods in this quick Asian shrimp and egg recipe.

• Eggs - (Neutral Energy) - extra-large organic preferred.Assume 2 to 3 eggs per person depending on how hungry they are. You can also use all egg whites or a mixture of egg yolks and whites, if you are watching your cholesterol levels. Did you know that egg yolks are considered warm and egg whites are considered cooling. Combined, they become neutral in energy.
• Shrimp - (Warming Energy) - If you can find large peeled and deveined shrimp, this can save you even more time. Otherwise, you will need peel and devein them before adding them to the egg and shrimp stir fry. 
• Tofu - (Cold Energy) not scrambled but firm tofu cubed and seared. Of course, you can use soft tofu for a silkier texture, if desired.Try to choose an organic and non-GMO option. As you will only use ½ a tofu block, there is plenty leftover to make savory Asian tofu pancakes.
• Green onions vs scallions - (Warming Energy) - either is fine. This aromatic gives
• Freshly grated ginger (Hot Energy) - adds a pop of flavor and freshness to this high protein meal. When all the flavors mingle it creates this light ginger scallion essence.
• Tomatoes (Cold Energy) - Optional but when the tomatoes break down, the juices create a savory saucy egg dish. (Sorry, the tomatoes got left on the counter and did not make it to the shot.) Try our easy tomato grating method, like in our spicy tomato glass soup recipe, so you don't have tough tomato skins or use cherry tomatoes like we did for this recipe.
• Soy sauce or Tamari or coconut aminos for gluten free (Cold Energy) - Adds that classic Chinese-style flavor.If you need to watch your sodium intake, consider substituting a lower sodium soy sauce.
• Sesame oil - (Warming Energy) - Nutty, rich and takes this easy shrimp and egg recipe to the next level.
• Cornstarch - (Cool Energy) seals in the juices and makes the shrimp extra crunchy when stir fried.
• White pepper (Warming Energy) or regular black pepper for a little kick of heat.

Step By Step: How to Stir Fry

• Peel and devein shrimp and toss with cornstarch.
• Cut tofu into small chunks.

• Beat the eggs.
• Add tofu to the beaten eggs

• Sauté shrimp on both sides and remove from pan
• Stir fry freshly grated ginger and scallions
• Add fresh chopped tomatoes.

• Lightly scramble the eggs and tofu mixture and season to taste.
• Drizzle in soy sauce (tamari), sesame oil and splash water and toss well.
• Add the cooked shrimp to the scrambled eggs and tofu with a quick toss.
• Serve while hot!

Self-Saucing Ginger Scallion Sauce

When you are trying to get dinner on the table fast, the last thing you need to be doing is worrying about everyone adding their own extra special condiments or making an extra sauce on the side.

The beauty of this quick Chinese stir fry is when the stir-fried ginger, scallions, tomatoes, soy sauce, sesame oil and a splash of water hit the pan they combine, and the tomatoes break down to create this simple sauce right in the pan. It's super light and there is no need to add a cornstarch slurry to thicken it up.

Asian Variations and Toppings

Cantonese flavors are light and not spicy. If you want to amp up the flavors even more, consider adding these…

• Garlic chili sauce or a drizzle of Sriracha sauce.
• Chili oil or a sprinkle of dried red chili flakes.
• Sprinkle on roasted sesame seeds or crispy shallots on serving.
• Use up that extra homemade Asian sauce instead of adding soy sauce to the recipe.
• Add a splash of Shaoxing wine or cooking sherry with the soy sauce and sesame oil to boost the Asian aroma and flavors.
• Stir fry quick cooking veggies like spinach, bok choy, thin sliced cabbage or your favorites before adding scrambled eggs and tofu. This adds a pop of extra vitamins and nutrients.
• Serve over Hong Kong fried rice or even gochujang fried rice.

Tofu Texture Preferences

There are a few ways to prepare the tofu in this easy weeknight recipe, but it all comes down to your personal preference.

Silky-Smooth Cantonese Method: Use silken tofu instead of firm tofu. You will prepare the recipe the same except, instead of tossing and scrambling the eggs and tofu together, you will turn down the heat after adding them both to the pan, add seasonings and cover with a lid. Then, continue to cook without moving the ingredients in the pan, just until the eggs set. Top with cooked shrimp and serve over rice.

Asian Fusion Method: This is the method we used for this recipe. It's a combination of the silky-smooth Cantonese method and the seared tofu method. The result is a soft and tender texture with loads of flavor.

Seared Tofu Method: First, dry the tofu well so you can achieve the crispy edged tofu. This method uses extra firm tofu coated with a little cornstarch, salt and white pepper. Sear the tofu in oil on both sides until lightly golden.  If your pan is large enough, you can do this along with the shrimp. This method gives a unique crunchy texture with soft eggs.

Tofu Scramble Method: Have you tried our Spicy Tofu Scramble or Italian Scrambled Eggs? The texture is kind of a combination of both. We tried it and I must say we prefer to have distinct tofu cubes in the recipe from a texture perspective. But you do you!

How to get the Best Egg Texture?

• Cook the eggs over medium low heat.
• Gently move the eggs from one side of the pan to the other.
• The goal is to have larger soft and tender eggs so do not be overjealous with your spatula - gentle movements.
• Add the seasonings (soy sauce, sesame oil, salt and white pepper) and a good splash of water to the eggs BEFORE they are 50% cooked.
• Remove the pan from the heat when they are about 75% cooked through. The heat from the pan will continue to cook the eggs.
• Serve up the sir fry shrimp and eggs while still steaming hot along with the juices from the pan.

Tips for Tender Shrimp

Shrimp should have an addictive little snap or crunch when you bite into them. They should not be chewy or tough but tender and juicy in the center. Here are a couple of recipe hacks to help you achieve perfectly cooked shrimp in a stir fry.

• Dry your shrimp well with paper towels before coating them in the cornstarch, salt and white pepper mixture. Let the shrimp sit for 2 to 3 minutes while you beat the eggs and prep the rest of your ingredients. This step seals in the juices while creating a light crispy exterior.
• Using a little light oil in a pan or wok, sear the shrimp on each side for about one minute or until they are no longer translucent. Don't overcook!
• Don't over crowd your pan. You may need to cook the shrimp in batches, depending on the size of your pan.
• Immediately remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.

How to Serve?

The most traditional way to serve this Chinese shrimp and egg stir fry is with steamed rice. However, if you want to keep it low carb, consider serving over cauliflower rice or adding more stir-fried vegetables.

Try these serving ideas...

• Over toasted crusty bread.
• With a side of stir fried garlic pea shoots or a turmeric vegetable medley to keep this recipe low carb.
• As a topping for congee.
• Inside and avocado boat for a low carb option or inside a roasted sweet potato for spleen qi loving meal.