Shrimp Egg Foo Young

[markk]

Many years ago in Vancouver I discovered that the Chinese restaurants there didn't try to "withhold" food from Westerners (with such famous lines as "You won't like that") as so many US restaurants have historically done, so while I was there I became a regular at a place near my hotel and pretty much feasted on all the things they had to offer and all the things in the tanks, and I certainly ate the heads-on shrimp (salt and pepper style).

When it was too late and we were leaving the last night I asked the guy who had gotten to know me (as an adventurous eater) what he thought the best preparation of the live shrimp was and he said without hesitation "Egg Foo Young".

So how would you do it? I mean, would they take them in and shell them, or cook them and shell them, or what would they do? I took it from the way he said it and how willing he had been all week to let me order stuff that this was a traditional preparation?

[junehl]

I've seen egg foo young made in a lot of different styles. Some with a clear sauce, some with a white sauce, but the only one I like is Egg foo young with a simple brown sauce.

My dad used to make it with peeled shrimp, beaten egg. He'd add some veggies like cabbage, shredded carrot, and bean sprout (although traditionally I don't think you put veggies it in). He'd mix up everything together. Heat up the wok with oil, and then pour a dollop of the shrimp/egg mixture into the oil, and fry it up like a patty. Drain, pat dry.

He'd then just pour the brown sauce over that with some chopped scallion, and it's served. It was simple, but very tasty.

[Dejah]

I've seen egg foo young made in a lot of different styles.  Some with a clear sauce, some with a white sauce, but the only one I like is Egg foo young with a simple brown sauce.

My dad used to make it with peeled shrimp, beaten egg.  He'd add some veggies like cabbage, shredded carrot, and bean sprout (although traditionally I don't think you put veggies it in).  He'd mix up everything together.  Heat up the wok with oil, and then pour a dollop of the shrimp/egg mixture into the oil, and fry it up like a patty.  Drain, pat dry.

He'd then just pour the brown sauce over that with some chopped scallion, and it's served.  It was simple, but very tasty.

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There are so many different ways of making shrimp egg foo young. You'd definitely have to peel the shrimp first. I have made it with a small size shrimp, mixed up with eggs beaten with a touch of cornstarch, bean sprouts, scallions. This was a "looser patty" cooked slowly on the sides of the 24" wok. As the eggs set, the whole patty would be rotated so the cooked portion would be further away from the heat at the bottom of the wok. We always used a brown gravy, but on the side. Because the surface of the patty is not solid, we didn't want the gravy to soak in - just glaze the surface.

[Prawncrackers]

What is Egg Foo Yong?! It sounds like a type of omlette, is it a Chinese-American invention?

[Dejah]

What is Egg Foo Yong?!  It sounds like a type of omlette, is it a Chinese-American invention? 

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Traditionally, it was a means of using up bits of meat, scallions, etc in a mixture with eggs. My Mom used to make it more like fluffy lumps rather than omlette shaped, and without any sauce. I suspect the omlette shape with gravy is probably a Chinese-American invention.

My kids like it with diced lapcheung and scallions.

[Taubear]

I have always loved Egg Foo Yong and would love to make it at home. Does anyone know what the ingredients are in the brown sauce.

My Guess

Oyster Sauce

Light Soy

Corn Flour

Water

Do you have another version?

Edited October 16, 2007 by Taubear (log)

[hzrt8w]

I have always loved Egg Foo Yong and would love to make it at home. Does anyone know what the ingredients are in the brown sauce.

My Guess

Oyster Sauce

Light Soy

Corn Flour

Water

Do you have another version? 

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In my version, I would add some chicken stock and a bit of sugar.

Egg Foo Yong is basically an omlette. Fried eggs with some meat ingredients.

In North America, Egg Foo Yong is definitely one of those Americanized Chinese food entries. I think it is comparable to dishes like:

- Chicken chop suey

- Chicken "chow mein" (or "lo mein")

- Shrimp with lobster sauce

- Sweet and sour pork

Yes you can trace something similar done in Mainland China. But the way these dishes are cooked seems entirely different. In the US, I have eaten egg foo yong made with bean sprouts in it. I thought it was unusual.

The term "foo yong" in Chinese implies "eggs" when used in menus. A prettier name.

[Ben Hong]

Nothing beats shrimp omelet with scallions, topped off with a drizzle of oyster sauce on top of reheated leftover rice for a quick lunch. Yeah, yeah, you can call it foo yong with the addition of a few veggie scraps...but why ruin a perfectly good omelet?!

[Fugu]

Most Egg Foo Yong take-out I've had in Toronto are stacked like pancakes. The vegetables and shrimps are all mixed into the egg and fried.

My DIY home edition is made by having each ingredient mixed with beaten eggs and fried separately and stacked and I pour a chicken veloute on the stack. I love fresh baby corn and garlic chives mixed in there.

[Dejah]

Fugu,

I don't understand

by having each ingredient mixed with beaten eggs and fried separately and stacked

Do you mean each ingredient is a separate "pancake" on its own, for example, shrimp in one, fresh baby corn in another, and chives in yet another?

Can you provide a picture next time you make this?

[Fugu]

Fugu,

I don't understand

by having each ingredient mixed with beaten eggs and fried separately and stacked

Do you mean each ingredient is a separate "pancake" on its own, for example, shrimp in one, fresh baby corn in another, and chives in yet another?

Can you provide a picture next time you make this?

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Oops, I meant by having each ingredient mixed separately with beaten eggs and fried separately and stacked.

Pictures? I have a ton of pictures of food porn, I just have problems uploading. I am a cook, what do I know about computers? I will try again, maybe it is a jpeg sizing issue?

[Dejah]

Fugu,

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Pictures? I have a ton of pictures of food porn, I just have problems uploading. I am a cook, what do I know about computers? I will try again, maybe it is a jpeg sizing issue?

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Git thee to the techie page and post pictures! If I can do it, anyone can!