Egg Foo Yung is a Chinese egg omelette. The name is Cantonese and means “hibiscus egg”. Egg Foo Yung (also Egg Foo Young and Egg Fu Yong) is made with beaten eggs and most often ham, but various types of meat, seafood and especially vegetables can be added. It differs from a French omelette in that Egg Foo Yung is often served with a brown sauce.
Chinese egg omelette is a popular dish found in Chinese restaurants, but also in Chinese-Indonesian cuisine. Different types of protein and vegetables are combined with eggs and fried in a pan until they set and reach a golden brown color, which is different from the typical yellow color of a classic omelette. Although usually filled with shrimp or pork and vegetables, the Chinese omelet has as many variations as there are cooks. Every family has their favorite style. It’s the perfect recipe to use up leftovers.
The origin of the Chinese egg omelette
Although the French coined the term omelette in the 16th century, various incarnations of egg “pancakes” filled with meat or vegetables have existed since ancient times. (The dish on which the ancient Persians feasted was probably more akin to Egg Foo Yung than a classic French omelette).
While Egg Foo Yung originated in Chinese-American restaurants in the mid-1800s, its inspiration likely comes from Shanghainese cuisine. Fu Yung Egg Slices is an elaborate Shanghainese recipe made with beaten egg whites and minced ham, probably named after the lotus flower. The northern Chinese version replaces the ham with ground chicken. Egg Foo Yung emerged from these dishes.
A few eggs, crunchy vegetables and Asian spices are all you need to create a tasty dish that’s perfect for breakfast, a main course or a snack. Use your imagination when choosing fillings. There are no rules about what ingredients go into Egg Foo Yung. Chinese sausage, grilled pork, shrimp and even tofu are popular. Mushrooms and onions are often used for vegetables. For some people, it wouldn’t be a proper Chinese egg omelette without lots of crunchy mung bean sprouts.
Tips for making a Chinese egg omelette
A few tips to achieve the fluffiest and tastiest Egg Foo Yung:
- Lightly beat the eggs, but not so much that bubbles form.
- Thinly slice meat and vegetables for more even cooking.
- To get more flavor out of vegetables, blanch or saute them before adding them to the egg mixture.
- Do not add the other ingredients to the egg while it is in the pan. Instead, mix them with eggs before cooking.
- Make sure the pan is hot enough to cook the egg mixture properly.
- Shape the eggs into small pancakes or one large pancake.
- Prepare the brown sauce first and keep it warm while cooking the Egg Foo Yung.
Feel free to make your own version with your favorite ingredients. Serve with rice.
Čínská vaječná omeleta (Egg Foo Yung 芙蓉蛋)
Ingredients
Omáčka
- 4 lžičky kukuřičného škrobu
- 1½ lžíce sójové omáčky
- 2 lžičky ústřicové omáčky
- 1 lžíce rýžového vína
- ½ lžičky sezamového oleje
- 1 šálek vody 200ml
- 1 špetka bílého pepře
Omeleta
- 6 ks vajec
- 2 šálky fazolových klíčků
- 4 ks jarní cibulky pouze bílá část, nakrájená na plátky
- 1 lžička sezamového oleje
- 1 stroužek česneku jemně nasekaný
- 150 g kuřecího, vepřového masa (nebo krevet) maso nakrájené a předvařené
- 1 lžička cukru
- 2 lžíce oleje
- 1 špetka soli
- 1 špetka bílého pepře
Obloha
- 1 lžička sezamová semínka
- 4 ks jarní cibulky nakrájená zelená část
Instructions
Omáčka
- V malém hrnci smíchejte ústřicovou omáčku, světlou a tmavou sójovou omáčku, sezamový olej, kukuřičný škrob, bílý pepř, česnekový prášek a cukr s vodou pokojové teploty (nebo nesoleným vývarem).
- Za stálého míchání přiveďte k varu. Vařte 1 minutu, dokud omáčka nezhoustne na konzistenci řídkého sirupu (nepřevařujte, omáčka chladnutím dále houstne). Dejte stranou.
Omeleta
- V misce rozšleháme vejce.
- Přidejte fazolové klíčky, zelenou cibulku, maso nebo krevety, sůl a pepř. Promíchejte.
- Zahřejte prázdný wok na vysokou teplotu, dokud nebude horký. Nalijte lžíci oleje. Když je olej horký, přidejte vaječnou směs. Snižte teplotu na středně nízkou a smažte dozlatova po obou stranách.
- Opakujte se zbývající vaječnou směsí a vytvořte 4 omelety.
- Přesuňte omeletu na talíř. Přelijte omáčkou. Poosypte sezamovými semínky a zelenou cibulkou.
- Podávejte s rýží.
