Egg Foo Yung

NEVER beat the eggs — wondering why — if you beat the eggs, ingredients WILL fall apart in the oil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, before starting, decide which cooking method you prefer — double click on either the so-called “restaurant style” or the small-batch “family style” cooking method to read brief descriptions. The choice is primarily a matter of what pot you have available for frying the egg mixture. Both methods of cooking yield the same amount and have the same ingredients and preparation up until the final cooking of the egg mixture.

Egg Foo Yung Cantonese Style (without M.S.G.)

5 eggs — large (unbeaten)
1/2 cup pre-cooked meat — shredded — such as pork, beef, chicken, crabmeat (canned is okay), shrimp, etc.
1/2 cup celery — shredded — no leaves
1/2 cup mushrooms — shredded (fresh mushrooms, canned mushrooms — drained, or Chinese black mushrooms — softened and shredded)
1 cup bean sprouts — fresh (less than1/4 lb.) or bamboo shoots
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry sherry
Dash freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cooking oil — for frying

Mix all the above ingredients, except oil, gently in a large bowl. (Do not beat the eggs.)

“Restaurant-style” Cooking Method:
Put 1/2 cup oil in a deep skillet (Dutch Oven or Chinese wok will do, if you have one).
Heat oil over medium heat. Scoop 1/4 of the egg mixture into the heated oil very carefully.
Spoon the small pieces of egg on the large piece for trimming. When the edges of the large piece are brown, trun ove gently and brown the other side. (For easy turning it is better to use two spoons or one spoon and one spatula.) Remove the cooked ones to a plate and fry the other 3 portions in the same manner. Add more oil when it is needed.

Note: The oil in the skillet tends to foam; take care of bubbles from oil will overflow the pan —- better still, use a deep skillet, Dutch oven or Chinese wok if you have one. An added benefit of the deeper, large pan — if you use a deep skillet, Dutch oven or Chinese wok, you can fry two portions at the same time.

Yield: Serves 2 to 3.

Serve Egg Foo Yung with or without the following sauce:

Sauce for Egg Foo Yung, Cantonese Style

1 can chicken broth
1 teaspoon catsup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 tablespoons flour, mixed with 1/4 cup cold water

Mix the above ingredients in a sauce pan. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly.
Bring to a boil until it thickens. Serve with the Egg Foo Yung, in the same plate or in sauce bowl.

Alternate Small Batch (Family Style) Cooking Method:

Put 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) oil in a hot skillet over medium heat. Add one-half of the mixture to skillet. Turn over and over in large sections until evenly cooked and golden brown on both sides. Remove and place on serving dish.
Put 3 tablespoons more oil in the same skillet and cook the rest of the egg mixture in the same way.
Serve hot with or without the sauce.

Adapted by Poppy from Joyce Chen’s original 1962 edition of the Joyce Chen Cook Book, just published when he was taking cooking lessons from her in Cambridge.

You can find this and other recipes by tapping here on the Home Cookin’ index.

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