Name: Tomato and Egg “Shakshuka”
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp. red chile flakes; 2 Tbsp. Sichuan peppercorns; 2 Tbsp. gochugaru (Korean red chile flakes); 1 Tbsp. sea salt; 1 cup vegetable or other neutral oil; 1 (2-inch) piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 star anise; 1 cinnamon stick; Ice cubes; 4 beefsteak tomatoes (about 22 oz.); Extra-virgin olive oil; 1 (1-inch) piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped; 1 onion, sliced into thin wedges; ¼ cup brown sugar; 4 large eggs; Handful of cilantro leaves, roughly chopped; 2 scallions, finely sliced; Sea salt; White pepper; Everything Oil, to serve; Bread, to serve (optional)

Tomato shakshuka with eggs in a cast iron skillet.

Photo by Hetty McKinnon

This Tomato and Egg “Shakshuka” is a classic hybrid dish, a clashing of cultures with spectacular results. Two loves combined—Chinese tomato and egg, a dish I tolerated growing up but now adore as an adult, reworked as a shakshuka. The recipe is an unassuming showstopper, offering all the distinctive sweet umami flavor of the classic Chinese dish, but with a very different sensibility. Serve with bread (or dare I say, rice?) to mop up the tomatoey juices.

This recipe was excerpted from 'To Asia, With Love' by Hetty McKinnon. Buy the full book on Amazon. Click through for more must-make Hetty McKinnon recipes.