Shrimp Egg Foo Young

Shrimp Egg Foo Young is a fluffy egg mixture that is fried or deep-fried with a medley of veggies and shrimp. It is served with rice cakes or a bed of steamed rice with brown sauce on top or on the side. Chicken is also a delicious choice of meat for this dish, as is the vegetarian option.

I’ve talked previously about the concept of how some foods are truly global. Whether it is the samosa or empanada, or the various lamb soups and stews, some dishes are so fundamental to us that they pop up everywhere. One of those dishes is the Egg Foo Young or Yung.

Origin:

No one quite knows the origin of this dish, although the choice of ingredients and the preparation method seem to indicate a Cantonese heritage. During one of our visits to Hong Kong, a friend of mine introduced me to a chef who specialized in this dish, and he called it Fu Yong Dan. What this chef also emphasized was that the sprightliness of this dish was based on using exceptionally fresh ingredients and a quick fry under high heat. Back to the ‘wok hei’ concept. I must tell you that he’s right. This is no lightly cooked dish with an extra-long simmer to make sure that all the ingredients are cooked. This is flash cooking with delicate ingredients and having tasted it, I can attest to the fact that it tastes different than a regular omelet.

I have, of course, tried this dish in America and I must admit that the Hong Kong version was better. At its worst, it’s an oily omelet soaked in some soy-based starchy brown sauce stuffed with precooked shrimp and oversized, overcooked vegetables. The difference is both obvious and palpable. You may think that the Shrimp Egg Foo Young is a test of the chef, and you wouldn’t be wrong. But equally, I can assure you that it isn’t as hard as you think.

Difference between the Egg Foo Young and an omelet:

  1. Egg Foo Yung is usually deep-fried whereas the omelet is only lightly fried (slightly browned)
  2. The fillings tend to be cooked with the omelet because if you are deep-frying this dish, the ingredients will be cooked with the egg. Omelets, depending on the filling, tend to pre-cook their ingredients because they are only lightly fried.

That said, with all the plethora of fillings that are now available, the second distinction is easy to brush aside. The Egg Foo Young is one of my husband’s favorite dishes. He always recalls how the best rendition he had was in a small Malaysian town called Kajang, near Kuala Lumpur, over several years ago. Not only is this town famous for its satay, but my globetrotting husband also remains convinced that it has the best Shrimp Egg Foo Young, ever! I recall this anecdote because it speaks to the universality of this dish; it is one of those dishes that is emblematic of the Chinese diaspora over the last three centuries. This dish followed them everywhere.

Some common questions:

  1. Do you have to deep fry it? Not necessarily, but it will taste different. But it’s the same difference between deep-frying chicken and air frying it. The key here is to ensure that the filling is both fresh and cut into small pieces so that it can cook quickly.
  2. Can you use leftovers? Yes, you can. In Hong Kong, they use bits of diced chicken, but if you plan to use shrimp, it’s better when it is fresh.
  3. Is the sauce a must-have? To be fair, in parts of Asia, they use light soy rather than a brown sauce. I’ve seen the brown sauce mostly in Europe, Australia, and in North America.
  4. What are the ingredients for the Shrimp Egg Foo Young brown sauce or gravy? If you like the brown sauce, it is basically just a mixture of stock, light soy, sesame or chili oil, and corn starch added as a thickener.

Shrimp egg foo young on a plate

Health benefits of Shrimp Egg Foo Young:

  1. Eggs: Eggs are both extremely versatile and very healthy. Both egg whites and the yolk are rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals. In fact, eggs are a source of the nine essential amino acids that the body cannot produce. These are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Additionally, eggs are useful sources of vitamins D, B12, and iodine. Eggs also contain betaine which helps heart health and choline which is important in the formation of cell membranes.
  2. Eye Health: The egg yolk contains carotenes, which help prevent macular degeneration and cataracts contain vitamin A, that is necessary for good eyesight.
  3. Weight Management: As eggs are essentially ‘complete’ proteins, they tend to be more filling than fats or carbohydrates, thus helping to reduce calorie intake.
  4. Green onions or scallions: Green onions or scallions are a milder version of the onion and is related to (i.e., in the same family as) garlic, shallots, leeks, and chives.
  5. Bones and clotting: One of the lesser-known vitamins, K helps to build bones and contains proteins that help with blood clot formation, which prevents wounds from continuously bleeding.
  6. Anti-cancer: According to various studies, members of the Allium family (garlic, etc.) have shown a correlation between their consumption and a reduction of risk for myeloma, gastric, colorectal, endometrial, lung, and prostate cancer.
  7. Mushrooms: The traditional Chinese mushrooms are shiitake, straw, oyster, or black or white wood ear fungus. Mushrooms are a low-calorie food that are an incredible source of fiber, protein, and antioxidants.
    • The antioxidants in mushrooms are also reduce the risk of hypertension and other metabolic disorders.
    • Known as a rich source of potassium, mushrooms reduce the negative impacts of sodium and help lower blood pressure.
    • By stimulating macrophages, the mushroom helps enhance the body’s immune system.
    • As a rich source of fiber, protein, and antioxidants, mushrooms help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

As I said, apart from the deep-frying, the basic construct of the quick flash method of cooking the Shrimp Egg Foo Young, can be incredibly healthy. While we are used to eating certain foods for certain meals, this dish breaks the stereotype because you can, as my husband has, consume it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even as a hearty snack.

How to make the Shrimp Egg Foo Young:

  1. How to make the Shrimp Egg Foo Young:
  • Marinate the chopped shrimp in chili sesame oil, garlic, white pepper and rice vinegar for a couple of minutes.

marinate the shrimp

  • Whisk the eggs with salt, pepper and chili sesame oil and keep aside.

whisk the eggs

  • Heat peanut oil in a wok until shimmering. Add garlic and sauté for 10 seconds, and the shrimp for a minute.

saute the shrimp

  • Add the broccoli florets and sauté for a few seconds.

saute the broccoli

  • Then, quickly add the beansprouts, and scallions and turn off the heat.

add the beansprouts

  • Now, add the veggies and shrimp to the egg mixture.

add the shrimp to the egg mixture

  • Heat the pan or a cast iron pan with some peanut oil and add the egg-shrimp mixture. Cook for a minute on high heat.

pour the egg mixture in a wok

  • Now, flip over and cook for another minute on the other side.

flip the shrimp egg foo young

2. How to make the brown sauce:

  • Heat a teaspoon of peanut in a pot and add the chili-garlic paste, onion and pepper. Sauté for a minute.

saute onion and pepper

  • Mix all the sauces together in a bowl and add to the pot.

add the sauces

  • Make the corn starch slurry by mixing the cornstarch with water. Gradually, drizzle the slurry into the sauce pot. Stir continuously while adding the slurry for 45 seconds until the sauce mixture has thickened. Turn off the heat.

add the slurry

  • Serve the Shrimp Foo Young with steamed rice or rice cakes and the brown sauce on top or on the side.
Tips:

1. The Shrimp Egg Foo Young is commonly deep-fried. I pan-fried them for a healthier option. If you wish to deep fry them, then ensure that the oil is hot, spoon the egg mixture, fry and flip over and drain with a slotted spoon. Deep-frying them takes a minute to get cooked.

2. I like using hoisin sauce instead of the oyster sauce. Hoisin sauce complements seafood and acts as a contrasting flavor profile. Feel free to use oyster sauce, if that is your preference.

3. Substitute shredded chicken for the shrimp.

4. Arrowroot powder is a healthy thickening agent and can be used as an alternative to corn starch.

Veggie Option:

Omit the shrimp and add more veggies such as diced or grated carrots, mushrooms, snow peas, and Chinese cabbage to the egg mixture. The brown sauce or gravy is the same for the vegetarian option.

How to serve the Shrimp Egg Foo Young:

I have served the Shrimp Egg Foo Young with rice cakes and the brown sauce on the side. You could drizzle the sauce on top and serve on a bed of steamed rice. Another suggestion would be to serve it as a side with:

Shrimp Egg Foo Young

Shrimp egg foo young on a plate
Kanchan Dilip
Shrimp Egg Foo Young is a fluffy egg mixture that is fried or deep-fried with a medley of veggies and shrimp. It is served with rice cakes or a bed of steamed rice with brown sauce on top or on the side. Chicken is also a delicious choice of meat for this dish, as is the vegetarian option.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 8 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 4
Calories 198 kcal

Equipment

  • pan or cast iron pan

Ingredients
  

For the Shrimp Egg Foo Young:

  • 10 shrimp cleaned, chopped
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp chili sesame oil
  • ¼ tsp white pepper
  • 6 eggs
  • ¾ cup broccoli chopped
  • 1 bunch scallions
  • 2 cloves garlic minced or crushed
  • 2 tbsp peanut oil

For the brown sauce:

  • 1 tsp chili-garlic paste
  • 4 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • 1 pearl onion chopped
  • 1 bell pepper small, chopped
  • 2 tbsp corn starch
  • ¾ cup vegetable broth

Instructions
 

How to make the Shrimp Egg Foo Young:

  • Marinate the chopped shrimp in chili sesame oil, garlic, white pepper and rice vinegar for a couple of minutes.
    marinate the shrimp
  • Whisk the eggs with salt, pepper and chili sesame oil and keep aside.
    whisk the eggs
  • Heat peanut oil in a wok until shimmering. Add garlic and sauté for 10 seconds, shrimp for a minute.
    saute the shrimp
  • Add the broccoli florets and sauté for a few seconds.
    saute the broccoli
  • Then, quickly add the beansprouts, and scallions and turn off the heat.
    add the beansprouts
  • Now, add the veggies and shrimp to the egg mixture.
    add the shrimp to the egg mixture
  • Heat the pan or a cast iron pan with some peanut oil and add the egg-shrimp mixture. Cook for a minute on high heat.
    pour the egg mixture in a wok
  • Now, flip over and cook for another minute on the other side.
    flip the shrimp egg foo young

How to make the brown sauce:

  • Heat a teaspoon of peanut in a pot and add the chili-garlic paste, onion and pepper. Sauté for a minute.
    saute onion and pepper
  • Mix all the sauces together in a bowl and add to the pot.
    add the sauces
  • Make the corn starch slurry by mixing the cornstarch with water. Gradually, drizzle the slurry into the sauce pot. Stir continuously while adding the slurry for 45 seconds until the sauce mixture has thickened. Turn off the heat.
    add the slurry
  • Serve the Shrimp Egg Foo Young with steamed rice or rice cakes and the brown sauce on top or on the side.

Notes

  1. Use chicken broth or the vegetable broth. 
  2. I crushed the chili-garlic to a paste using a mortar and pestle. You could use a coffee grinder or simply minced them fine.
  3. For added flavor, I like marinating shrimp for a few minutes in rice vinegar and garlic. Feel free to omit this step.

Nutrition

Calories: 198kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 9gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 246mgSodium: 569mgPotassium: 242mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1548IUVitamin C: 55mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 2mg
Keyword egg foo young, Shrimp egg foo young

3 Comments

  1. Ava

    5 stars
    I’m a college undergrad and I’ve been making this egg foo young every day now. Still not tired of it. Love it!

    Reply
    • Kanchan

      Thank you!

      Reply
  2. Shen Chang

    5 stars
    This is a really great quick weeknight dish!

    Reply

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Recipe Rating




Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Shrimp Egg Foo Young
Amount per Serving
Calories
198
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
13
g
20
%
Saturated Fat
 
3
g
19
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
4
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
6
g
Cholesterol
 
246
mg
82
%
Sodium
 
569
mg
25
%
Potassium
 
242
mg
7
%
Carbohydrates
 
10
g
3
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
3
g
3
%
Protein
 
9
g
18
%
Vitamin A
 
1548
IU
31
%
Vitamin C
 
55
mg
67
%
Calcium
 
58
mg
6
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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