Egg foo young

Egg foo young is a delectable omelette dish rooted in Chinese cuisine and notably popular in Chinese Indonesian, British Chinese, and Chinese American culinary traditions. The term "egg foo young" is derived from Cantonese and is inspired by a classic Guangdong recipe known as fu yung egg slices.

To prepare egg foo young, begin by beating eggs and blending them with an assortment of ingredients. These may include minced ham and vegetables such as bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, cabbage, mushrooms, and water chestnuts. Additionally, various meats like roast pork, shrimp, chicken, beef, or even lobster can be incorporated.

In Chinese Indonesian cuisine, this dish is referred to as fu yung hai or pu yung hai. It features an appetizing combination of vegetables like carrots, bean sprouts, and cabbage, mixed with meats such as crab, shrimp, or minced chicken. This variation is typically served with a sweet and sour sauce that includes peas.

In Western countries, egg foo young is often presented as a folded omelette with all the ingredients blended into the egg mixture. In the United States, a distinctive version known as the St. Paul sandwich features an egg foo young patty served on white bread with mayonnaise, dill pickle, and occasionally lettuce and tomato.

In the Netherlands, a variation called Foe yong hai is served with a sweet tomato sauce. Interestingly, despite "hai" in the name suggesting crab, this version typically does not include crab meat.

Egg foo young has inspired similar dishes across diverse cuisines. In Vietnamese, Japanese Chinese, Korean-Chinese, Malay, and Chinese Thai cuisines, you will find unique adaptations. For instance, the Japanese kani-tama includes crab meat, while the Korean-Chinese jjajang bokkeumbap offers a dark bean and meat sauce with fried rice and an optional egg topping. Malay cuisine includes telur bungkus, a wrapped egg dish, and Chinese Thai cuisine features Khai Chiao Yat Sai, a stuffed fried egg.

Regardless of where you sample it, egg foo young is a versatile and flavorful dish that showcases the rich culinary heritage of its origins.