A fluffy Chinese-style omelette folded with bean sprouts, scallions, and bits of meat or shrimp, pan-fried into patties and napped with a savory brown gravy. A classic of Cantonese-American cooking.
Its name comes from the Cantonese fu yung daan, 'hibiscus egg,' a poetic term for delicate egg dishes whose pale, ruffled folds recall hibiscus petals. Guangdong immigrants adapted the home-style omelette for American diners in the chop-suey era of the early twentieth century, ladling on a thickened gravy unknown to the Chinese original and turning it into a hearty restaurant staple.
Tender, custardy egg with lacy crisp edges, studded with crunchy sprouts and sweet scallion, all blanketed in a warm, silky brown gravy. The shrimp or pork adds savory depth, and the gravy soaks into every fold. Homey and satisfying.
Frying the egg over fairly high heat sets a crisp ruffled edge while the interior stays soft and custardy. A separate cornstarch-thickened gravy adds moisture and savor without making the patty itself soggy.
Variations
Shrimp foo young, char siu pork version, chicken or crab, vegetarian mushroom-and-sprout style
On the Palate
Where Egg Foo Young sits in the American-Chinese flavor cloud
Fry the patties over medium-high heat so the egg edges frill and crisp while the center stays soft, and keep the gravy separate so it moistens the patty at the table instead of soaking it soggy in the pan.
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
8 steps · 15 min
- 12 min
Beat eggs with a pinch of salt and white pepper until just combined.
- 22 min
Stir in bean sprouts, sliced scallions, and cooked shrimp or shredded char siu.
- 34 min
Make the gravy by simmering stock with soy sauce, oyster sauce, and a cornstarch slurry until glossy.
Watch outSimmer the gravy until it turns glossy and coats a spoon; that sheen means the starch has cooked through.
- 42 min
Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high until shimmering.
Watch outThe oil is ready when it shimmers and a drop of egg sizzles instantly.
- 54 min
Ladle in portions of the egg mixture to form patties and fry until the underside is golden.
Watch outLeave each patty undisturbed until the underside is set and golden before you think about flipping.
- 63 min
Flip each patty and cook the second side until just set and puffed.
- 71 min
Drain the patties briefly on a rack.
- 82 min
Arrange on a plate, pour the hot gravy over, and serve at once.
