Egg Foo Young (Fú Róng Dàn 芙蓉蛋)
A few eggs, crunchy bean sprouts and simple Asian seasonings are all it takes to make a tasty dish that's perfect for breakfast, dinner or a snack – fluffy Chinese omelets topped with a savory brown gravy.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Sauce
- 4 tsp cornstarch
- 1½ tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
- ½ tsp toasted sesame oil
- 200 ml water a scant 1 cup; or unsalted broth
- pinch of ground white pepper
Omelets
- 6 eggs
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 4 scallions white parts only, sliced
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic finely chopped
- 150 g cooked chicken, pork or shrimp about 5 oz, diced
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp neutral oil for frying
- pinch of salt
- pinch of ground white pepper
Garnish
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 4 scallions green parts, sliced
Instructions
Sauce
- In a small saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, cornstarch and white pepper with the room-temperature water (or unsalted broth).
- Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook for 1 minute, until the sauce thickens to the consistency of a thin syrup (don't overcook it – it keeps thickening as it cools). Set aside and keep warm.
Omelets
- Beat the eggs in a bowl.
- Add the bean sprouts, scallion whites, garlic, cooked meat or shrimp, sugar, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Heat an empty wok or skillet over high heat until hot. Add ½ tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, pour in a quarter of the egg mixture. Lower the heat to medium-low and fry until golden on both sides.
- Repeat with the remaining oil and egg mixture to make 4 omelets.
- Transfer the omelets to a plate. Pour the sauce over them and sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallion greens.
- Serve with rice.
Notes
Cook raw meat first, then dice it and stir it into the egg mixture.
Finely minced raw meat will cook through fine while the omelets fry.