Tomato Fried Rice

Preparation

Make white rice

Wash rice thoroughly until the water is more or less clear, then drain. Heat olive oil in a sauce pan on medium high heat. Add rice and stir while pan frying for about a minute until the rice has absorbed the oil and the grains look semi transparent. Add water and bring to a simmer, then turn the heat down to low and cover. Cover and cook without touching the grains for 20 minutes. Once cooked, turn the heat off and leave it to steam in the residual heat for another 10 minutes or so. Uncover and fluff with a fork, then set aside in a container.

Make sauce

Heat olive oil in a large pan or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, anchovies, 4 ounces of tomatoes (about 1/2 cup, save the other half for later), sesame oil, kosher salt, sugar, and rice vinegar. Turn the heat down to low-medium to slowly cook the shallots and tomatoes, giving them the occasional stir. As the tomatoes soften, give them a little smash to release the juices. Cook the sauce until it looks jammy, about 15 minutes.

Make scrambled eggs

While the sauce is cooking, beat eggs in a small bowl. Heat oil in a pan on high heat. Add the eggs and with a utensil, give it a stir as it sizzles and firms up, around 30 seconds or so. Turn the heat off and continue scrambling the eggs on the residual heat until the eggs are firm. Season with kosher salt to taste. Remove and set aside.

Make fried rice

Once the sauce is cooked, add scallions, scrambled eggs, cooked white rice and the remaining 4 ounces of tomatoes cut in halves. Mix everything together. Add any additional salt or acid to taste. Remove from heat and serve with extra scallions on top!