Vegetables

Tomato

A ripe red tomato with smooth taut skin, a green calyx and juicy seed chambers.

繁體中文: 番茄
English: Tomato
Bahasa Indonesia: Tomat (番茄)
Tagalog: Kamatis (番茄)

What is it?

Tomato is a food item commonly encountered in Hong Kong homes and markets.

How to identify it

Look for a round to slightly flattened fruit, smooth red skin and a star-shaped green cap.

A ripe red tomato with smooth taut skin, a green calyx and juicy seed chambers.
Look for a round to slightly flattened fruit, smooth red skin and a star-shaped green cap.
Tomato has several gel-filled seed chambers; sweet pepper is hollow with a pale central placenta.

Common confusion

Tomato has several gel-filled seed chambers; sweet pepper is hollow with a pale central placenta.

Common Hong Kong household uses

Use in a recipe that specifically names this vegetable; this page identifies the market item only.

Preparation or handling

Wash thoroughly under clean running water before cooking; do not use soap, special detergent or produce wash.

Storage

Wash only immediately before cooking or eating; if pre-washing is necessary, dry thoroughly and follow the label or supplier storage directions.

Helper tip

Use the Hong Kong name and check the physical features or original label when buying. Look for a round to slightly flattened fruit, smooth red skin and a star-shaped green cap.

What Ma’am or Sir may say

唔該要番茄，俾我睇清楚先。

The employer wants Tomato and asks for it to be checked before purchase.

Useful market phrase