Shrimp Egg Foo Young – A Delightful Chinese Dish from Sichuan Cuisine

Egg foo young, a type of Chinese omelet, has its roots in Cantonese cuisine. In contrast to other regions where omelets often feature fewer ingredients, such as the green onion or fresh pepper omelet (青椒煎蛋), Cantonese egg foo young is distinguished by its variety of ingredients.

1. We incorporate additional ingredients into the egg mixture. My favorites include bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and scallions.
2. Cantonese egg foo young is typically served with a dark brown sauce, made primarily from soy sauce and starch, which enhances its flavor and complements rice beautifully.

To achieve a restaurant-style egg foo young with an exceptionally crispy exterior, we will deep-fry it today. This method can be applied to any variation of egg foo young.

Egg Foo Young Sauce

Before preparing the egg foo young, let’s make the sauce. Start by mixing cornstarch with water. In a pot, combine light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt, and pepper. Heat the mixture over medium to low heat, stirring until it reaches a consistency similar to oyster sauce. This step requires the right proportions and a bit of patience.

The sauce should have a thick yet slightly runny texture.

Making Shrimp Egg Foo Young

• Cut the shrimp into finger-sized pieces.
• Combine the shrimp with whisked eggs, bean sprouts, shredded carrots, scallions, salt, and pepper, mixing everything thoroughly. Feel free to add other ingredients that pair well with fresh shrimp.

How to Deep Fry the Shrimp Egg Foo Young

For deep-frying, a stainless steel scoop is essential to maintain the round shape of the egg foo young.

1. Heat the oil to approximately 180 degrees C (360 degrees F).
2. First, brush oil on the scoop to prevent sticking. Pour the shrimp egg mixture into the scoop.
3. Dip the scoop into the hot oil and hold it for 10 to 15 seconds until the mixture firms up into a basic shape.
4. Remove the egg cake from the scoop and allow it to deep-fry for another 20 seconds or until golden brown.

The deep-fried egg foo young will puff up quickly, creating numerous holes that soak up the brown sauce, making it incredibly delicious.

Now comes my favorite part: transfer the deep-fried egg foo young onto a bed of steamed rice and drizzle the brown sauce over the top. Break the egg into chunks and enjoy it with the rice.

• 2 large eggs (room temperature recommended)
• 2 tbsp. minced shrimp
• 1 small bunch of bean sprouts (around 100g, root removed)
• 1 scallion (shredded)
• 1/4 tsp. salt + 1/8 tsp. ground pepper
• Oil for pan-frying or deep-frying

Brown Sauce

• 1 cup chicken broth or water
• 1 tbsp. light soy sauce + 1 tsp. dark soy sauce (dark soy sauce gives a deeper color)
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1/2 tbsp. oyster sauce
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground white pepper

Make the Sauce

• Mix cornstarch with water. In a pot, combine light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, salt, and pepper. Heat over medium to low heat, stirring until it reaches a consistency similar to oyster sauce.
• The sauce should have a thickened but slightly runny texture.

Mix the Mixture

• Cut the shrimp into finger-sized pieces.
• Combine the shrimp with whisked eggs, bean sprouts, shredded carrots, scallions, salt, and pepper, mixing everything thoroughly.

How to Deep Fry the Shrimp Egg Foo Young

• Heat the oil to around 180 degrees C.
• Brush some oil on the scoop and pour the batter into it.
• Dip the scoop into the oil and let it stay for 10 to 15 seconds until it forms the basic shape.
• Remove the egg cake from the scoop and let it deep-fry for another 20 seconds or until golden brown.

Optionally Pan-Fried Method

• For the best round shape, use a small cast iron pot. Fry until one side is golden brown, then flip and fry the other side. Once both sides are golden, transfer the egg foo young to steamed rice and drizzle with the brown sauce made earlier.

This recipe was first published in 2017 and updated with more details and a video in 2025.

Calories: 221 | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 479mg | Sodium: 801mg | Potassium: 203mg | Vitamin A: 575 IU | Vitamin C: 5.5mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 3mg