Egg Foo Young Recipe - Better than Takeout! (2024)

FAQs

Why is egg foo young so good? ›

Egg foo young is more than just an omelet

Well, it's basically a pancake, fried fritter, and omelet all in one. The secret to good egg foo young is how well the ingredients are mixed. Done right, it becomes fluffy and delicious.

Egg Foo Young is one of the healthiest Chinese takeout meals if made at home! While restaurants tend to cook the omelettes in a LOT of oil, when made at home it's a low fat, high protein, low carb dinner option.

Egg foo young can be served plain, but it's traditionally dressed with a thick, soy-sauce-based gravy. The gravy can be made with a variety of ingredients like chicken stock, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and a bit of sugar.

Chicken, beef and shrimp pan-fried with bean sprouts, cabbage, carrots and eggs in a special brown sauce.

Hoisin is made with sugar, water, soybeans, salt, sweet potato, sesame seeds, cornstarch, garlic, wheat flour, chili pepper and spices.

The omelet itself is typically enjoyed using chopsticks or a fork, cut into bite-sized pieces. The sauce, often a savory mixture that includes ingredients like chicken broth, soy sauce, and sesame oil, should be drizzled over the omelet right before consumption to maintain its crisp exterior.

Steamed Fish and Vegetables

Takeout menus tend to offer a mild-tasting variety of protein-rich white fish, such as sole, and it's paired with mixed vegetables. The veggies add fiber, a key nutrient for digestion and heart health. If you have the chance to choose or add Chinese eggplant as a veggie, go for it.

You can keep the leftover egg foo young pancakes in the fridge for up to four days or freeze them for up to four months. I reheat them by popping them in a toaster oven or an air fryer set at 375°F for 5 to 8 minutes or until heated through.

In Chinese Indonesian cuisine, it is known as fu yung hai, sometimes spelled as pu yung hai. The omelette is usually made from the mixture of vegetables such as carrots, bean sprouts, and cabbages, mixed with meats such as crab meat, shrimp, or minced chicken.

The secrets of China's 'secret sauce'

"This is just one small element to the dish, but it is crucial to the overall taste," says Peter. The sauce is called Lu (pronounced "loo"), and virtually every Chinese regional cuisine uses some variation of it.

What is the brown sauce in Chinese food called? ›

Oyster sauce is commonly used in Chinese food and adds a savory, salty, umami flavor. Both can be found in most grocery stores. If you like, you can add grated or minced ginger or garlic. Serve your homemade brown sauce with a beef, chicken, or pork stir-fry or chow mein dish.

Sweet Soy Sauce (Chinese Mother Sauce #3)

Made with minimal oil, a serving of this egg foo young has 197 calories and is a good source of protein and potassium. The majority of egg foo young's calories are from protein and fat; however the saturated fat content in this dish is minimal. Of the 10 grams of fat, only 2 grams are from saturated fat.

While Egg Foo Yung was born in American Chinese restaurants in the mid-1800s, its inspiration likely comes from Shanghai cuisine. Fu Yung Egg Slices is an elaborate Shanghai recipe made with beaten egg whites and minced ham, possibly named for the lotus flower.

In Chinese culture the egg is very significant, valued for centuries as a food supplement—especially for children, pregnant women, and those who are ill.

The most important difference between a regular egg omelette and authentic egg foo yung is the filling. There are countless variations you can embrace with the basic egg foo yung recipe, but the ingredients list will usually include an assortment of vegetables like onions, bean sprouts and mushrooms.

Chefs cook with high-quality woks and powerful heat

Chinese restaurants have high-quality woks and commercial-grade burners that allow them to cook at high heat. This helps create the Maillard reaction — a chemical reaction that browns the food and unlocks new levels of flavor and aroma.

The dish originates in the southern Chinese coastal province of Guangdong, which was known as Canton. Most versions which are found today are a Cantonese hybrid both in the United States and Asia.