Hey there! I’ve been cooking Chinese food for years, and lemme tell you – Shrimp Egg Foo Young is one of those dishes that everyone seems to love but few know how to make properly. Today, I’m gonna break down everything you need to know about this amazing comfort food!
Quick Answer
Shrimp Egg Foo Young is basically a Chinese-American omelet made with eggs, shrimp, bean sprouts, and onions, all fried till crispy and topped with a savory brown gravy Think of it as the Chinese version of a fluffy omelet, but way more interesting!
The Story Behind Egg Foo Young
Before we dive into the details, here’s a cool bit of history – Egg Foo Young actually comes from a Cantonese dish called “fu yung egg slices” (芙蓉蛋). When Chinese immigrants came to America, they adapted it to local tastes, and boom – our beloved American-Chinese version was born!
What Makes It Special?
Here’s why people can’t get enough of this dish:
- Amazing Texture Combo: Crispy outside, fluffy inside, with tender shrimp and crunchy veggies
- That Awesome Gravy: Rich, savory brown sauce that ties everything together
- Versatile: Works great with different proteins (though shrimp is my fave!)
- Comfort Food Level: Off the charts!
How It’s Made
There are two main ways to cook Egg Foo Young
1. Traditional Restaurant Style (Deep-Fried)
- Uses lots of oil
- Super crispy exterior
- Extra fluffy texture
- Golden brown color
2. Home-Style (Pan-Fried)
- Uses less oil
- Still tasty but less crispy
- Easier to make at home
- Healthier option
The Key Components
The Egg Mixture
- Beaten eggs (the star of the show!)
- Chopped shrimp
- Diced onions
- Fresh bean sprouts
- Chopped scallions
- A touch of cornstarch
- Sesame oil for flavor
The Famous Brown Gravy
The gravy is what makes Egg Foo Young extra special! Here’s what goes in it
- Chicken stock
- Soy sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Garlic
- Flour for thickening
- Seasonings (like sesame oil)
Pro Tips from My Kitchen
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Don’t Overbeat the Eggs: Just mix until combined – you want some texture!
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Temperature Matters: If deep-frying, keep oil around 335-350°F. Too hot = burnt outside, raw inside. Too cool = greasy patties.
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Prep Ahead: Get your gravy ready before frying the eggs. Trust me, timing is everything!
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Serving Style: I like serving it right away while it’s hot and crispy. Put it over rice and pour that gravy all over!
How to Serve It
Shrimp Egg Foo Young goes great with:
- Steamed white rice (traditional choice)
- Pork fried rice (American takeout style)
- Extra gravy on the side (always!)
- Some stir-fried veggies
Common Questions I Get
Q: Can I use other proteins?
A: Yep! Pork, chicken, or even just veggies work great.
Q: How long does it keep?
A: Best eaten fresh, but leftovers last 2-3 days in the fridge.
Q: Is it hard to make at home?
A: Nah, especially if you go with the pan-fried method. Just take your time with the first few tries!
Final Thoughts
Shrimp Egg Foo Young might sound fancy, but it’s really just good comfort food that’s stood the test of time. Whether you’re hitting up your local Chinese spot or trying to make it at home, now you know what makes this dish so special!
And hey, if your first try isn’t perfect, don’t sweat it – mine wasn’t either! The key is getting that egg mixture just right and nailing the gravy. Once you’ve got those down, you’re golden (just like those perfectly fried egg patties ).
The Classic Egg Foo Young: Your Search is Over!
Egg foo young’s scarcity these days is part of why it’s hard to find an egg foo young recipe that tastes like what you remember. Folks have tried to replicate the flavors they knew, but don’t have the correct restaurant techniques for making those fried egg patties.
People often don’t know that egg foo young patties are deep-fried, since many recipes instruct you to cook them in a skillet. Restaurant-style egg foo young is deep-fried in a wok of oil, which makes the egg patties fluffy and crispy.
This recipe comes straight from my parents’ restaurant, Sun Hing. It uses the original deep-frying method, which not only creates the right taste, it actually makes the egg foo young pancakes a bit lighter and speeds up cooking time.
So many readers have made our egg foo young and told us, “THIS IS IT!” Try this recipe, and your search will be over too.
That said, if you don’t want to deep-fry your egg foo young in the traditional way, we also have pan-frying instructions. Pan-fried egg foo young is still delicious, though more like a regular omelet.
A Word on Egg Foo Young Gravy
The rich brown gravy is a crucial component of any plate of egg foo young. I’m always eager to drizzle additional gravy over the egg patties during my meal!
We use both a flour-based roux and cornstarch to thicken the gravy here. The roux offers a robustness to the gravy, while the cornstarch creates a silkiness and smoothness to the gravy and mitigates that thick skin from forming on top of the gravy.
This post provides the gravy recipe, but you can find even more in-depth information (addressing gluten-free adaptations, chicken stock alternatives, and storage and reheating instructions) in our dedicated egg foo young gravy guide.
Consider this recipe a blueprint for making whatever egg foo young you want—shrimp, roast pork, chicken, beef, or even tofu.
Our step-by-step instructions and videos below show you how to properly mix the ingredients (mixing too much or too early is where you can go wrong!), how to get that loose batter into the frying oil, an alternative pan-frying method, and how to treat different types of protein.
Let’s make egg foo young!