番茄炒蛋 · Fān qié chǎo dàn
Tomato & Egg Stir-fry
Soft eggs, juicy tomatoes, and a little sauce to spoon over rice. A comforting place to begin your Chinese cooking journey.
Fresh live clams make a light broth with ginger. This guide uses already purged clams sold ready for cooking.

Scrub shells under cold running water. Discard cracked shells and any open clams that do not close when tapped. Keep chilled until cooking.
Bring water and ginger to a boil in a covered saucepan. Simmer 3 minutes.
Add clams and cover. Boil gently 5–8 minutes until shells open and flesh reaches 63°C; time depends on their size.
Discard clams that stay closed; do not force them open to eat. Add scallion and taste before adding the small optional amount of salt.
The shells release salty liquid, so seasoning belongs at the end. Home purging takes additional time and is not included here.
Live clams: Use ready-cleaned mussels from a reliable seller, following the same shell checks and cooking temperature.
Use fresh live clams from a reputable supplier. Discard cracked clams and open clams that do not close when tapped; discard any that remain closed after cooking. Cook clam flesh to 63°C / 145°F.
FoodSafety.gov guidance ↗