Shrimp Egg Foo Young

Shrimp Egg Foo Young

from thewoksoflife.com
75 min
4 servings

This is a real-deal Shrimp egg foo young recipe that we used to make in our family’s Chinese takeout restaurant. Learn how the restaurants do it!

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces peeled, deveined shrimp ((medium to large size; roughly chopped))
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch ((divided))
  • 4-6 cups neutral oil ((for frying, such as canola or peanut oil))
  • 1 medium onion ((diced))
  • 2 cups mung bean sprouts
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 scallion ((chopped))
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 clove garlic ((minced))
  • 1 teaspoon shallot or red onion ((minced))
  • 3 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken stock ((divided))
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions

  1. 1

    Combine the chopped shrimp with ⅛ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon sugar, and ½ teaspoon cornstarch. Set aside.

  2. 2

    In a medium pot or saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour to make a roux, along with the turmeric and paprika. Cook for 15-20 seconds.

  3. 3

    In a wok or deep pot, preheat 6 cups of frying oil to 335-350°F (170-175°C). Use a digital read or candy thermometer to check the temperature––too high a temperature will result in burned Egg Foo Young patties, and too low a temperature will cause extra greasy patties or ones that fall apart! Don’t jump ahead to mixing the batter until your oil is close to the target temperature. Beating the eggs at the last minute will help form nice patties.

  4. 4

    This recipe makes 6 patties. Using your ladle, carefully drop 2-3 separate scoops (about ¾ cup) of the mixture into the wok for the first batch (depending on how many you can fit in your wok). The correct technique is to tilt your ladle close to the oil, and pour the mixture starting from the edge where the oil meets the wok. Pour it slowly, so the ladle barely touches the oil. If the ladle does touch the hot oil, the egg will cook while it’s still in the ladle, and it will stick. You won’t have a smooth drop for the next Egg Foo Young patty.

  5. 5

    Transfer the egg foo young patties from the cooling rack to a serving plate. (Ideally these are served individually, rather than on a big family-style platter, but either works so long as you dig in right away!) Pour some of the gravy over the top, and serve with steamed rice and additional gravy on the side.