
In 2001 I went to Hong Kong and Beijing with my brother Rand, and it didn't take long to realize that most of what we consider to be "Chinese food" in the U.S. is definitely Chinese-American food. I know
Egg Foo Yung is one of those dishes that falls in the Chinese-American category, and although it doesn't get much respect compared to more exotic items you find on menus, it can be one of my favorites when it's made well. I learned to love Egg Foo Yung at
The Pagoda, a Chinese American Restaurant in Salt Lake (with a Japanese name!) My family went there for special occasions, and I remember eating Egg Foo Yung there as a reward for making the honor roll in high school. In all the years since then, I don't think I've thought of making Egg Foo Yung myself until I saw this recipe from
Fine Cooking. Their version was a little different than the dish I learned to like as a teenager but equally delicious, and if you like Egg Foo Yung, you should try this recipe right away!
The recipe from Fine Cooking had red bell pepper strips, but I made this twice and I preferred the version with just mushrooms. You could easily leave out the chicken if you prefer and add any type of mild-flavored vegetable of your choice. (I think zucchini would be a great addition to this if you have a surplus from your garden!)

Cut chicken breast into thin strips, then marinate in sesame oil and soy sauce.
Whisk together oyster sauce, white vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil.

Beat eggs with salt and pepper and sesame oil. (You're going to add the cooked chicken and vegetables to this, so use a big bowl like I did.)

Clean 4 green onions, then slice on the diagonal and separate dark green pieces from white/light green pieces. I bought mushrooms already sliced, but if needed, wash and slice mushrooms.

Heat 1 T oil in a 10 inch frying pan, add chicken pieces and cook 3-4 minutes, until chicken is cooked but not browned. Transfer chicken to a plate. (I used a non-stick frying pan, which worked well for this.)

Heat another T oil, then add white/light green pieces of green onion and cook about 1 minute. Add sliced mushrooms and cook 4-5 minutes, until mushrooms are softened and give up some liquid.
Put chicken, green onions and mushrooms into the bowl with the eggs and stir to combine.

Wipe out the frying pan with a paper towel, add the remaining 2 T oil and heat over high heat until the oil is shimmering, then add the egg mixture. Sides will puff up; immediately reduce heat to medium.

Cook the egg mixture on medium heat for 4-5 minutes, using a turner to gently stir the center, lifting up the cooked parts so the uncooked egg can run under and cook. When eggs are starting to look firm, turn heat to low, use turner to press down the mixture so it's relatively flat, and cook 2-3 minutes more. (The center will still look slightly wet, similar to how scrambled eggs look when you take then off the heat.)

When eggs are cooked, remove the pan from the heat, put a plate over the top of the pan, and turn it over so Egg Foo Yung is centered on the plate. (This is the hardest part of the recipe, but be brave!)

Pour the sauce mixture over the egg pancake, sprinkle with sliced green parts of green onion, and devour!
Chicken Egg Foo Yung with Mushrooms and Green Onions
(Makes 2-4 servings, depending on what else you serve it with. Recipe adapted slightly from Fine Cooking.)
1 boneless-skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips (about 8 oz)
1 T + 1 tsp. soy sauce
1 T Asian sesame oil, divided
1 T Oyster Sauce
1 tsp. white vinegar
6 eggs, beaten
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
4 green onions, cut on diagonal and dark green and white/light green parts kept separate
1/4 C peanut oil or canola oil, divided
4-6 oz. sliced mushrooms (I used cremini mushrooms)
Cut chicken into thin crosswise strips, not more than 1/4 inch wide. (I cut some of the thicker pieces in half again after I sliced the chicken breast.) Put chicken in small bowl and add 1 tsp. soy sauce and 1 tsp. sesame oil.
Whisk together the Oyster Sauce, white vinegar, 1 T soy sauce and 1 tsp. sesame oil, and set aside. Using a large bowl (so you can add cooked ingredients later) beat the eggs with salt, pepper, and 1 tsp. sesame oil.
Clean green onions, then slice on the diagonal, keeping the dark green and white/light green parts separate. Wash mushrooms and cut into slices about 3/8 inch (or use pre-sliced mushrooms like I did.)
Using a 10 inch frying pan, heat 1 T oil over medium-high heat, add the chicken and cook 3-4 minutes, or until chicken is cooked but not browned. Transfer chicken to a plate to cool slightly before you add it to the egg. (I used a non-stick frying pan, which worked well for this.)
Heat another T oil, then add white/light green pieces of green onion and cook about 1 minute. Add sliced mushrooms and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring a few times, until mushrooms are softened and give up some liquid. Transfer cooked vegetables and chicken to egg mixture and stir to combine.
Wipe out the frying pan with a paper towel, then heat the remaining 2 T oil over high heat until the oil is shimmering, then add the egg mixture. The sides will puff up; immediately lower heat to medium. Continue to cook eggs on medium heat, using the turner to gently stir and lift the center part of the egg mixture so the uncooked egg can run under and get cooked. Cook like this about 4-5 minutes, or until eggs are starting to look firm. Then turn heat to low, use the turner to press down on the mixture so it's relatively flat, and cook 2-3 minutes more. (The center will still look slightly wet, similar to how scrambled eggs look when you take then off the heat.)
When eggs are cooked, remove the pan from the heat, put a dinner plate over the top of the pan, and turn it over so Egg Foo Yung is centered on the plate. (This is the hardest part of the recipe, but be brave!) Pour the sauce mixture over the egg pancake, sprinkle with dark green parts of green onion, and devour!
The first time I made this I had some leftovers which I kept in the fridge overnight, but I didn't think it was that good reheated. Make as much as you can eat right away, or invite friends to finish this with you!
South Beach Suggestions:
This recipe is a perfect main dish for any phase of the
South Beach Diet, or any type of
low-glycemic plan. Don't worry about the generous amount of oil; these types of oil are considered "good fats" and some oil is left in the pan.
More Chinese (or Chinese-American) Recipes to Try:
(Recipes from other blogs may not always be South Beach Diet friendly; check ingredients.)
Pork and Broccoli Stir-Fry with Ginger and Hoisin Sauce from Kalyn's Kitchen
Garlic-Lover's Vegetable Stir Fry with Eggplant, Zucchini, and Yellow Squash from Kalyn's Kitchen
Stir-Fried Beef and Broccoli with Ginger and Ponzu Sauce from Kalyn's Kitchen
Restaurant-Style Chinese Greens with Oyster Sauce from Rasa Malaysia
Chinese Steamed Fish from Steamy Kitchen
Chinese-Style Green Beans from Cooking with Amy
Hot and Sour Soup from Simply Recipes
Pork in Sweet Soy Sauce from Kayotic Kitchen
(Want even more recipes? I find these recipes from other blogs using Food Blog Search.)
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