A Hawaiian Recipe Version of Beef Tomato
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An easy comfort food to eat with fresh tomatoes.
Beef Tomato from Hawaii?
I remember my mom making this for us kids whenever we came over to visit her. It was one of those simple dishes that really hit the spot.
This recipe came to Hawaii from the Chinese during the plantation era. It’s been slightly modified over the years as it’s been passed down each generation.
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What are the ingredients for Beef Tomato?
The ingredients for Beef Tomato are fairly simple. You have your marinade, gravy, vegetables, and beef. It’s the typical Asian sauces you see in most recipes:
- Shoyu (soy sauce)
- Sugar
- Liquor (this can be substituted or omitted)
The best part of this recipe is that you can use it for your tomato harvest (or if your neighbor gifts you with a basket full of tomatoes).
Fresh tomatoes…
Are you looking for ways to use up your huge harvest of tomatoes before they go rotten? This Beef Tomato are one of the many recipes you can use.
Wash and cut those tomatoes in wedges and throw it into the pan at the end. The tomatoes give the gravy a nice tint of red and sweet-tangy taste.
Could you substitute liquor?
Yes you can! If you are sensitive, allergic, or have other reasons to avoid liquor in your cooking, you can substitute it for chicken or beef stock. Just substitute it for a 1:1 ratio.
How do you make Beef Tomato?
Making Beef Tomato is very easy. You can do it in four simple steps:
- Prep or cut all of the veggies and beef
- Marinate the beef
- Stir fry the beef and veggies
- Add the gravy and thicken it
I also recommend cutting your beef against the grain to chew the beef easier. See my previous blog post explaining this technique.
How to Store Beef Tomato
Just like any meal, you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last you a good 3-7 days.
If you make a huge batch, you can also store it in the freezer or you can give away to friends, family, or neighbors. But let’s be real…those leftovers won’t last too long! I hope you will enjoy this recipe and share it with your loved ones.
Give this onolicious recipe a try! If you did give it a try, please leave a comment with a star rating below. Mahalo!
Video Tutorial
Check out this video to help you gain more insight on how to make Beef Tomato. Also, subscribe to my YouTube to help support me so I can continue making more of these contents.
Beef Tomato
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef, top round or flank
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 2 stalks celery
- 3 tomatoes, cut in wedges
- 2 stalks green onion
Marinade:
- 2 tbsp shoyu (soy sauce)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp liquor (can substitute with chicken broth)
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Gravy:
- 1 cup broth or water
- 2 tbsp shoyu (soy sauce)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- To make the marinade, combine in a medium sized bowl shoyu, sugar, liquor, and cornstarch. Mix it well.
- Add the beef to the bowl and combine. Cover and let it marinate in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour.
- Make the gravy by combining broth, shoyu, salt, and cornstarch in a bowl. Set aside.
- Over medium heat sauté briefly the garlic in an oiled pan or wok. Then add in the beef and let it cook for about two minutes or until the meat has been browned. Remove the beef from the wok and set it aside.
- Lightly oil the wok and add in the onions and stir fry it for about one minute. Then add in the green bell peppers, stir fry it for another minute then add in the celery to be stir fried for one more minute.
- Add the beef back in and stir fry it for one minute. Lastly add in the gravy and let it simmer for about 5 minutes while stirring constantly until it has thickened.
- Add in the tomatoes and lightly mix it in for just 30 seconds. Then garnish it with green onions.
- Turn off the heat and serve over hot sticky rice and enjoy this onolicious Beef Tomato!
I was so ono for this dish! Mahalo for inspiring me to use your great recipe to make it for my ‘ohana🥰
I’ve subscribed to your emails for awhile now and was happyily surprised to see this recipe in today’s inbox! What is the purpose of the alcohol?
When I first came to Hawaii as a very young bride 50 years ago, our neighbor told me how to make this. They were a retired couple. He tended orchids, his wife had a little Hawaiian restaurant who taught me a lot about cooking, mostly Japanese as that was their culture.
I’ve been making Beef Tomato since and it remains one of hubby’s favorites.
Alcohol is a difference. What is its purpose?
I must say the recipes I have tried are all spot on !! Your Dry mein was exactly what I remembered from Sam Sato’s, and your Beef Broccoli , Mac salad, Chicken long rice were exactly similar to what I had in many restaurants. Will continue to follow and try your other recipes. I also love your explanations on your videos, and your voice is very pleasant. Mahalo !!