Egg Foo Young | MyPlate (2024)

FAQs

Is Egg Foo Young from Chinese healthy? ›

Is Egg Foo Young healthy? 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.

When it comes to eating Egg Foo Young, one typically finds it cut into portions, covered in a smooth, flavorful sauce that's either soy or oyster sauce-based. The sauce elevates the dish, enhancing the flavors of the omelette's constituents.

A thick egg omelet stuffed with a miscellaneous heaping of greens and either pork, shrimp, or chicken, egg foo young has been a Chinese American staple for centuries. Crisp on outside with a silky-smooth interior, and dressed with a delectable gravy, this beloved dish has stood the test of time.

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

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.

The texture of egg fu yung is also slightly different from an omelette - it is fluffy on the inside with a crispy pan-fried outside, creating a mouthwatering contrast. This iconic Chinese takeaway option is not only delicious but is also super simple to make at home.

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.

Serving Egg Foo Yung

You could probably eat Egg Foo Yung on its own but I cannot eat it without a rich Chinese gravy and white rice. The gravy is made from a mixture of chicken broth, oyster sauce and soy sauce that gets brought to a simmer and thickened with a cornstarch slurry.

Why do Chinese eat whole boiled eggs? ›

They are a convenient and an affordable source of protein. Chinese consider hard-boiled eggs to be a symbol of good luck. That's why Chinese usually eat hard-boiled eggs during special events.

Foo young has connections to an egg dish from China, although there is some disagreement on the matter. In Cantonese, there is a dish known as foo yung (fu 'jung daan) and in Mandarin it's known as fu rong (fúróngdàn). Some sources claim that “foo young” means “Hibiscus egg” but that may not be fully accurate.

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.

Traditionally, oysters are slowly simmered in water until the liquid caramelizes into a viscous, dark black-brown sauce. But to speed up the process, some commercialized versions are instead made with oyster extracts, plus salt, sugar, corn starch and caramel coloring.

How to make Egg Foo Young. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut flour (or cassava flour), fish sauce, and apple cider vinegar until smooth. Mix in the ham, spinach, scallions, cilantro, and baking soda, and some freshly ground black pepper.

A rich savoury sauce with a hint of sweetness, blended with soybean paste, Chinese plums and sesame. This is a ready-to-use, rich tasting, brown sauce mix great for oriental wraps, meat stews; as a dressing for aromatic crispy duck, dips for spring rolls and other fusion food.