Chinese egg foo young — fluffy, golden egg omelettes packed with shrimp and bean sprouts, deep-fried until crisp and served over rice with a rich savoury gravy.
Egg foo young is a Chinese-takeaway favourite — golden, puffy egg omelettes packed with shrimp, bean sprouts and spring onion, smothered in a glossy savoury gravy. Crisp at the edges and tender in the middle, they're far easier to make at home than you'd think. Pile them over jasmine rice and ladle the warm gravy on top for a properly satisfying dinner.
Prep 20 min
Cook 25 min
Total 45 min
Medium
- 1 cup Unsalted Beef Stock
- 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing Wine
- 1 tablespoon Oyster Sauce
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Water
- 8 large Egg
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/4 tsp Sugar
- 1 Spring Onions
- 1 cup Mung Bean Sprouts
- 20 Shrimp
- 3 Cups Vegetable Oil
- 2 cups Jasmine Rice
Video
Preparation
- Make the gravy: in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the beef stock, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce and white pepper and bring to a simmer. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water, add to the pan, and whisk until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. Cover and keep warm on the lowest heat.
- Make the batter: in a medium bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water until dissolved, then add the eggs, salt and sugar and whisk until smooth with no egg white clumps. Add the spring onion, bean sprouts and shrimp and stir to coat evenly.
- Add the vegetable oil to a large wok, about 2 inches up the sides, and heat over medium-high to 350°F (vigorous bubbles should form around a wooden chopstick).
- With a ladle, gently add a quarter of the batter — it should immediately bubble and puff up. Fry until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes per side, basting any pale spots with hot oil. (To flip, use a tool in each hand, coaxing the omelette over gently.)
- Remove to a paper-towel-lined tray and cool for 5 minutes, then repeat to make 4 omelettes, adding more oil between batches if needed.
- Plate each omelette over a bed of rice, spoon over the warm gravy, and serve immediately.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Get the oil properly hot (around 350°F) so the omelette puffs and crisps instead of soaking up grease.
- Baste the top with hot oil as it fries to set the surface, which makes flipping far easier.
- Make the gravy first and keep it warm — egg foo young waits for no one once it's cooked.
- Don't overload each omelette with filling or it won't hold together when you flip it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely — char siu pork, shredded chicken, crab or extra vegetables all work. It's a great way to use up odds and ends.
Either too much filling or the oil wasn't hot enough to set the egg quickly. Hot oil and a moderate amount of filling are key.
A simple savoury sauce of stock, soy and oyster sauce thickened with cornstarch. You can use chicken stock in place of beef if you prefer.
This version shallow-fries in a generous pool of oil, which gives the crispy, lacy edges. You can use less oil for a flatter, pan-fried result.
