Minced Beef with Tomato and Egg | IDDSI Level 5 Recipe

IDDSI Level 5 (Minced & Moist) | 45 minutes | Easy

Tomato with minced beef and egg (蕃茄炒牛肉蛋) is one of the most universal home-cooked dishes in Hong Kong and Cantonese cuisine — ground beef stir-fried with ripe tomatoes and soft scrambled egg, finished with a light tomato sauce that keeps every bite moist and cohesive. Using minced beef rather than sliced beef makes the dish naturally appropriate for IDDSI Level 5: the beef granules are fine and moist, the tomatoes cook to a sauce-like softness, and the egg is kept silky and just-set. No chewing force is required; each component yields to gentle fork pressure — meeting Level 5 (Minced & Moist) throughout.

Ingredients (3–4 servings)

Main:

• 300g minced beef
• 3 medium ripe tomatoes (about 300g), cut into 2cm dice
• 3 eggs

Beef marinade:

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon cornflour
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda (tenderises the beef)
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon water

Seasoning:

• 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Salt to taste
• 100ml light chicken stock or water
• Cornflour slurry: 1 teaspoon cornflour mixed with 2 tablespoons water

Other:

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

Method

1. Combine the minced beef with all marinade ingredients. Mix in one direction with chopsticks or a fork until the meat becomes slightly sticky. Marinate for 15–20 minutes.
2. Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt. Set aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok over high heat. Pour in the beaten eggs and stir gently until just barely set — the eggs should still look slightly underdone and soft (they will finish cooking when returned to the wok). Transfer to a plate immediately.
4. Add the remaining oil to the wok over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the crushed garlic until fragrant. Add the minced beef and stir-fry, breaking up any clumps, until the meat changes colour throughout — about 2–3 minutes.
5. Add the diced tomatoes and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until the tomatoes begin to soften and release their juice.
6. Add the ketchup, light soy sauce and sugar. Stir to combine. Pour in the stock or water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 3–4 minutes until the tomatoes are completely soft and saucy.
7. Stir in the cornflour slurry. Simmer briefly until the sauce lightly coats the beef granules and has a slightly thickened, spooning consistency.
8. Return the scrambled egg to the wok and fold gently through the beef mixture until just combined. Serve immediately, spooning sauce generously over each portion.

Texture Test

Fork pressure test: Passes Level 5 — minced beef granules are approximately 4mm or smaller in diameter and yield to gentle fork pressure; no biting force is required. Tomato is fully soft with no firm pieces. Egg is silky and soft with no rubbery texture.

Moisture check: The dish should be saucy enough that each portion is visibly coated when spooned out. If too dry, add a small amount of warm stock and stir through before serving.

Safety Notes

⚠️ Granule size — use minced beef with granules of 4mm or smaller. If grinding from fresh beef, mince finely and check that no large clumps remain after cooking. Large meat clumps do not meet Level 5 and may pose a swallowing risk.

⚠️ Tomato skin — raw tomato skin is tough and does not soften fully during cooking. Blanch and peel tomatoes before use, or carefully remove any skin pieces visible in the finished dish before serving.

⚠️ Egg texture — overcooked eggs become rubbery and do not meet Level 5 softness. Remove the egg from heat while it still looks slightly underdone — residual heat from the beef mixture will finish the cooking.

⚠️ Sodium — moderately high sodium from soy sauce and ketchup. For low-sodium diets, reduce soy sauce to ½ tablespoon and use low-sodium soy sauce.

Sourcing in Hong Kong

• Minced beef: Wet market butchers will mince beef to order; choose shoulder or leg cuts with roughly 20–30% fat for best texture and moisture after cooking. Pre-packaged minced beef is available at PARKnSHOP and Wellcome.
• Ripe tomatoes: Year-round at wet market vegetable stalls; choose fully red, heavy tomatoes for maximum juice and natural sweetness
• Ketchup: Available at all major supermarkets; choose varieties without added high-fructose corn syrup if possible

Nutrition

Approximately 210 kcal per serving (about 120g), 22g protein, 11g fat. Minced beef provides high-quality protein and bioavailable iron; tomatoes contribute lycopene and vitamin C (which enhances iron absorption); eggs add further high-quality protein, choline and healthy fats. Together these three ingredients provide a nutritionally dense, easy-to-eat combination that supports protein and micronutrient intake for elderly residents who may struggle to consume adequate quantities from texture-modified meals.

Cultural Note

Tomato with egg (蕃茄炒蛋) is perhaps the most universally beloved everyday dish in Hong Kong households — almost every family has a version, often learned from a grandparent. Adding minced beef transforms it into a more substantial main while retaining the familiar tomato-egg flavour that many elderly residents will have eaten throughout their lives. Serving it on IDDSI Level 5 allows residents with moderate dysphagia to reconnect with this deeply personal, comforting taste — a small but significant act of dignity in care eating.