| Did a friend forward this to you? Sign up here. Egg foo young I know they're not for everyone, but I love eggs, and especially enjoy seeing how they're cooked around the world. Egg foo young (also spelled yong, yung and other ways), is, I think, an underappreciated egg dish. It also has a long history in the United States. In their essential "Mister Jiu's in Chinatown," chef Brandon Jew and Tienlon Ho dive into egg foo young as a dish that bridged the divide between Chinatowns . "Fùh yùhng is actually a classic Cantonese technique (the eggs are meant to bloom like 'hibiscus' in the wok), but Cantonese cuisine leans toward light sauces. Adding brown sauce, or 'Chinese gravy,' was an innovation of early Chinese cooks in America," Jew and Ho write, "You could argue, egg foo young isn't authentic Chinese cuisine, but I don't think that makes it inherently less soulful food." The dish of swirled eggs pan-fried with shellfish or meat and lots of crunchy vegetables, dressed up in a savory sauce "led more people to dive deeper into Chinatown. Its popularity kept Chinatowns bumping," the authors note. Jew's version of the dish involves oysters and Virginia ham. This version, pulled from The Post's archives, keeps things simple, making it easy to vary.  | Today's recipe | Photos by Deb Lindsey For The Washington Post | Egg Foo Yong With Greens and OnionThis recipe doesn't include the gravy, which isn't essential. But here's an easy recipe for just enough for this dish: In a small skillet over medium-high heat, combine 1/3 cup vegetable or meat stock, 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce and 1 tablespoon Shaoxing (or other white cooking) wine. Bring to a boil. In a small cup, mix together 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 3 teaspoons cold water. When the stock mixture boils, stir in the cornstarch slurry. Lower the heat and simmer until the gravy thickens to your liking. If it thickens too much, thin it with cool water. Season to taste with freshly cracked pepper (black or white) and salt. - The bouillon cube is a speedy path to flavor >> but feel free to substitute oyster sauce, a generous glug of soy sauce or hoisin.
- No onion? >> Try scallions or chives.
- Look for choy sum (see below), but if you can't find it >> try using the heart of a napa cabbage, broccolini, bean sprouts or baby kale.
Where to Buy: Choy sum is a leafy Asian green whose crisp, slim stems work well here; it can be found at Asian markets. For easy printing and scaling, view this recipe in our Recipe Finder. Servings: 2 Total time: 15 mins Ingredients - 3 large eggs
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- Large pinch granulated sugar
- Large pinch fine salt
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 small red or white onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 4 ounces choy sum, stems chopped and leaves reserved for another use (may substitute with broccolini or broccoli stems)
Steps1. In a medium bowl, lightly whisk the eggs to break them up. Crush enough of the bouillon cube to yield 1/2 teaspoon, then add it to the bowl, along with the sugar and salt, whisking to incorporate. 2. In a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring once or twice, until softened, about 5 minutes. 3. Distribute the choy sum evenly over the onion and cook for about 3 minutes. Gently pour in the egg mixture, tilting the pan so the egg runs evenly around the vegetables. Using a wooden or silicone spatula, stir the eggs once around the pan, then cook undisturbed, until browned on the bottom and the edges are set, for 2 or 3 minutes. 4. Using the spatula, cut the egg foo yong in half, then turn each half over. Cook until lightly browned on the second side, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide between individual plates and serve. Adapted from "Malaysia: Recipes From a Family Kitchen," by Ping Coombes (Weldon Owen, 2017). Tested by Bonnie S. Benwick. Nutrition information per serving: Calories: 180; Total Fat: 12 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Cholesterol: 280 mg; Sodium: 420 mg; Carbohydrates: 6 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugar: 2 g; Protein: 11 g.  | Dessert | 🎧 "A Very Lonely Solstice" by Fleet Foxes. 📚 "Mamushka: Recipes from Ukraine and Eastern Europe" by Olia Hercules. 📺 Otter moms wrap their babies in seaweed blankets. 📖 "Chinatowns are struggling to survive. Grace Young is reminding Americans why they matter." by Kristen Hartke in The Post. 👀 Rose dumplings. 🗣 If you liked this newsletter, please forward it to a friend! |