Egg Foo Yung

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm not sure what triggered my reverie, but the other night, probably because I was not keen on cooking, I started to think about carry-out food. I moved rapidly through the list of possibles and let the Silver Fox name our poison. He wanted Chinese, so he called in our order and left to pick up supper. While nearly all carry-out spots in our town deliver, they will not brave our driveway. Our house is perched on an incline that's a few degrees shy of being a full blown cliff. The driveway is long and narrow and there is no turnaround at it's end. It has its good points. It makes for a great aerobic workout and our only unsolicited visitors are missionaries whose zeal has usually dissipated by the time they reach our door. Fortunately, my guy never seems to mind the pick-up and delivery routine, so I'm not chained to my kitchen sink or stove. As it happens, we both love Chinese junk food. When we were kids, it was the only type of carry out available and we didn't have it often. It became associated with special occasions and I suspect that's why, despite having spent huge amounts of time in  Asia, we have never lost our fondness for the most basic of Chinese-American dishes. They were among the first dishes I learned to make when I had a kitchen of my own and I still enjoy testing new recipes that might actually best the best of the old. I can tell you, unequivocally, that the recipe I'm featuring tonight is best of class. It is an adaptation of the egg foo yung that is served at Shun Lee West restaurant in New york City. These Chinese omelets require some chopping but they are not difficult to make. If you deep-fry them, they puff like golden omelets in the hot oil. I know that deep frying is frowned upon these days, so if you prefer, the omelets can be fried in a skillet with much less fat. I switch between the two methods. When I use the frying pan, I pour the omelet mixture into pancake rings to contain and shape them. When I deep fry them, I use a soup ladle to hold the mixture until it is set and can stand on its own. These are delicious and will forever govern how you judge egg foo yung. I really hope you'll try these. They'll have your socks going up and down. Here's how they are made.

Egg Foo Yung...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Shun Lee West Restaurant

Ingredients:
1 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup soy sauce, divided use
1/4 cup cornstarch, divided use
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon dry sherry or shaoxing wine
1 (1/2-inch piece) fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 pound ground pork
1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1-1/2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon canola oil + oil for deep frying
6 ounces raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and finely chopped
1/2 cup water chestnuts, drained, finely chopped and squeezed dry
1/3 cup bean sprouts
1/3 cup sliced scallions + extra for garnish
6 eggs,beaten

Directions:
1) Bring stock, half of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon wine, ginger, and garlic to a boil in a small pan set over high heat. Cook, whisking, until thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Strain sauce, discarding solids. Keep sauce warm.
2) Mix 2 tablespoons of reserved soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, remaining wine, pork, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a small non-stick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add pork mixture and cook, stirring, and breaking up meat, until it is no longer pink, about 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pork to a bowl.Keep warm.
3) Pour canola oil into a 6-quart saucepan to a depth of 2-inches. Heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350 degrees F. Combine remaining soy sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil, plus reserved pork, shrimp, water chestnuts, bean sprouts, scallions, eggs, salt and pepper in a bowl. Using a ladle and working in batches, gently lower 1/2 cup amounts of egg mixture into oil. Cook, flipping once, until omelets are puffed and brown, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer omelets to paper towels to drain. Serve drizzled with reserved sauce.Garnish with scallions. Yield: 8 omelets.






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Vegetarian Egg Foo Yong

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The gods of weather are known to be capricious, but even they are confused this year. I suspect this storm was meant for my friends in Chicago, but while they were dining al fresco, the Snow Queen saw our beautiful greening landscape and, in a fit of pique, decided to dump on it. We don't see a lot of snow here and when this much falls in a short period of time we are marooned on our hillside until the driveway can be cleared. The pantry is always full, so food is not a concern. Trees and power lines are, but that's something we can't control, so we position candles and lanterns and ready the fireplace to do double duty should the need arise. Fortunately, we escaped the brunt of the storm and within 48 hours all traces of the snow have disappeared. It lasted just long enough to be beautiful and while we have loads of downed branches to clear we'll worry about that tomorrow. We have been snacking more than usual, so I wanted something light for tonight's supper. This recipe fit the bill. It is perfect for Meatless Monday or a Lenten Friday and it has the added bonus of being very easy to prepare. I think you'll enjoy this vegetarian version of egg foo yong. Here's the recipe.

Vegetarian Egg Foo Yong...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Nancie McDermott

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
3/4 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup shredded napa cabbage
3/4 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup chopped green onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 eggs, beaten well
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 teaspoon salt
Brown Sauce (see below)

Directions:
1) Heat a wok or a medium skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and swirl to coat pan. Add garlic and toss until fragrant.
2) Add carrots and toss until they are shiny and beginning to soften, about 15 seconds. Add napa cabbage, bean sprouts and green onion and toss well.
3) Add cilantro, soy sauce, and sugar, and cook, tossing often, until cabbage and carrots are just tender, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and spread it out into a single layer to help it cool quickly.
4) Meanwhile, combine eggs, sesame oil, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir with a fork to combine everything well. When the carrot mixture is no longer steaming, add it to eggs and stir quickly to prevent eggs from sticking and mix everything well. (If using Brown Sauce, make it now and keep warm until serving time.)
5) To cook omelets, use either a wok or a small deep skillet, so that you can make plump pancakes. Heat wok or skillet over high heat. Add about one-third of remaining oil and swirl to coat pan. Add about one-third of egg-vegetable mixture and tilt pan to spread it out a little. Fold down edges gently as they set, and keep swirling to encourage uncooked egg to contact pan. Shake pan to loosen omelet.
6) When omelet is mostly set, flip it over to cook other side. Cook until the omelet is set in center, and then transfer to a serving plate. Repeat to make two more omelets, and serve hot or warm. Yield: 3 servings.

Brown Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

Directions:
Combine 1/2 cup of water, soy sauce, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a rolling boil and stir to dissolve sugar and salt. Combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl and stir well. Add to pan and stir quickly to mix it into sauce. As soon as the mixture thickens and returns to a boil, remove from heat, stir in sesame oil, and set aside. Serve hot or warm.









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Shrimp Omelet from the Pearl River Delta - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Over the years, I've tried at least a thousand recipes and, of that number, only a hundred or so have survived and regularly appear on my table. This homely and unlikely candidate is one of them. The dish comes from Southern China and has several virtues to commend it. It has wonderful flavor and a play of textures that will appeal to almost any palate. It is also easy to prepare. It uses no exotic ingredients and its beautiful play of pink on yellow can be table ready in about 30 minutes. The two primary ingredients are eggs and shrimp. The Chinese rub the shrimp with a paste of cornstarch and salt to whiten them. If you are in a hurry this step can be omitted. The eggs are flavored with a very small amount of sesame oil. The trick to this dish is in the way it is cooked. In China the omelet is cooked in lard. We'll forego that and use canola or peanut oil to cook ours, but you'll need a cup or so of oil. Don't stint on that measure. The shrimp are quickly fried in the oil and then drained. Because they have no coating to absorb the oil, you'll find that almost all the oil remains in the pan after cooking. The shrimp will subltely flavor the oil and add a unique taste to the finished eggs. Omelets made in this fashion are easy to assemble because they are not rolled and require no special techniques to get them from the pan to the table. The eggs are gently cooked in a bit of the flavored oil and as they begin to set the shrimp are added to the pan. The only caution is to make sure you can serve these while they are still hot. This is a lovely, light dish that is perfect for those who avoid meat during the Lenten season. Here's the recipe for this treasure.

Shrimp Omelet from the Pearl River Delta ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 scallions (white part only), finely chopped
6 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
1/3 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 cup canola or peanut oil for frying

Directions:
1) Place shrimp in a dish with salt and cornstarch. Add a litlle cold water and gently rub shrimp to whiten them. Rinse thoroughly, drain and pat dry.
2) Beat eggs with salt, pepper and sesame oil.
3) Heat oil in a wok or heavy skillet and fry shrimp just until they turn bright pink, about 2 minutes. Remove and drain.
4) Pour off all but two tablespoons of oil. Add scallions and fry just until softened. Add the egg mixture. Cook gently, stirring slowly, until eggs begin to set. Add shrimp and continue to cook over gentle heat until the eggs are just firm. Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately. Yield: 2 to 3 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Oven-Baked Scrambled Eggs - One Perfect Bite
Individual Baked Omelets - One Perfect Bite
Tortilla Espanola - One Perfect Bite

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound