Egg Foo Young

I have a story to tell you about my first encounter with egg foo young, the quintessential Chinese-American dish.

A long time ago, when I first set my foot on the US soil for higher education, I went straight to the middle America. After 36 hours of tiresome journey from my hometown of Penang, Malaysia, I arrived in the state of Iowa. Starved to death and completely disoriented, Mr. Rasa Malaysia (then my boyfriend) chauffeured me to the best Chinese restaurant for a welcome lunch. Among the dishes I ordered, there was egg foo young, or ???, an egg dish that I love and enjoy very much.

When my food came, I was shocked to find out that my egg foo young didn’t look much like what I had back home in Malaysia (where great and authentic Chinese food is plentiful and popular). The egg foo young was puffy, almost shaped like an UFO, doused and drowned in a gloppy brown sauce. There was a thick filling of various and random vegetables: bean sprout, carrot, water chestnut, celery, and scallion. However, the most horrid thing of it all was the taste—completely bland, utterly insipid, loaded with flour (where were the eggs?), and the starchy brown sauce was simply adding salt to the wound, rendering the whole dish completely undesirable, and simply….inedible. That was my first (sad) reality about Chinese food in America. I was stunned and speechless, after that first encounter with egg foo young, or American Chinese food.

Fast forward many years to present time, egg foo young is one of the most requested recipes from my American readers. I have received numerous emails, messages, comments about my egg foo young recipe. The truth is, I don’t really have a recipe, until today. The egg foo young I cook and eat is something like this, but nothing EVER like this.

Since my readers want to make egg foo young, I feel obliged to develop a decent and proper egg foo young recipe for them. And hence, I came out with my version of egg foo young, which is closer to the ones served here in the United States, but without the brown sauce. I also took out water chestnut and those random vegetables, and included only bean sprouts and some chopped scallions in the eggs. For the protein, I added some ground pork and shrimp. I combined the seasonings with the eggs, so there is really NO need to have the brown sauce on top of the eggs. And as the name suggests, this is egg foo young, not egg foo young pancake, so there is no flour or corn starch in this recipe.

If you are looking for the “real” Americanized egg foo young with the sauce, don’t feel disappointed. Try my egg foo young recipe and soon you will realize that the brown sauce is really not that great. And trust me, Chinese food in the United States will be so much better off without them!

(Click Page 2 for the Egg Foo Young Recipe)

Pages: 1 2

View the original article here

October 2011 Food Finds: Young ginger, pho novel, Sriracha film project

October 2011 Food Finds: Young ginger, pho novel, Sriracha film project - Viet World Kitchenwindow.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init( { apiKey: 'a279adbe87e2b3c505e777af99a5260d', xfbml: true } );};( function() { var e = document.createElement( 'script' ); e.async = true; e.src = document.location.protocol + '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js'; document.getElementById( 'fb-root' ).appendChild( e );} )();Viet World KitchenHomeArchivesRecipe IndexVWK StoreClasses + EventsFavorite SitesAbout MePermission and CreditWelcome to Viet World Kitchen where I explore the culinary traditions of Vietnam and the rest of Asia. Join me to learn, create, and contribute!

Andrea Nguyen
Author & Teacher

Send a messagePrint + Digital Publications

Asian Tofu
Pre-order at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks

Asian Market Shopper
mobile app is here!
Available at iTunes store

Asian Dumplings
Info on e-book w/ videos!
Available at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks

Into the Vietnamese Kitchen
Available at: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooksRecent PostsSpiced Siamese Peanuts RecipeMaggi Masala Chilli Sauce: An Indian Sriracha?Tackling Sriracha Myths, Truths and ConfusionRed Wine and Beef Stew in Claypot (A Franco-Viet Experiment)October 2011 Food Finds: Young ginger, pho novel, Sriracha film projectCrunchy Shrimp Balls Recipe (aka Chef's Special Balls)Banh Mi Mayonnaise Recipe for Burgers? Pork Blood Pho: Is it True or New?Asian Tofu Update: Jacket Blurbs & Early ReviewsRuhlman’s Twenty Leads to Kaffir Lime Fried Chicken RecipeAwards + Praise
James Beard Foundation
Award Finalist
2007 Best Asian Cookbook

IACP Awards Finalist
2010 Best Single Subject Cookbook
2007 Best First Book
2007 Best Int'l Cookbook

National Public Radio
Best 10 Cookbooks of 2009

Cooking Light Magazine
Oct. 2009 "Editors' Dozen" Top Picks
2010 Editors' Favorite Cookbooks

CHOW.com
Winter 2009 Gift Guide

« Crunchy Shrimp Balls Recipe (aka Chef's Special Balls) |Main| Red Wine and Beef Stew in Claypot (A Franco-Viet Experiment) »

October 30, 2011October 2011 Food Finds: Young ginger, pho novel, Sriracha film project

This is something new that I’m launching on VWK—a monthly recap of food-related bits that I recently stumbled upon. Well, they’re not just odd ends, but rather interesting information, ideas, and edibles. They are things that I physically and mentally chew on. They provoke me to think about our resources, savor the season, and celebrate Asian foodways.

It’s difficult to dedicate a post on each item. I may tweet or flag it on the VWK fan page but who knows if you received them? That said, this is the first of the “Food Finds” posts. Hope you enjoy it!

Edibles

Young ginger - See the pinkish tipped ginger at the top? It’s mild “young” ginger that you don’t have to peel to cook or pickle. I bought that hand last week at New May Wah market in San Francisco. Young ginger’s season won’t last for much longer so enjoy if you can.Excellent chow fun noodles - At last. Thickish, restaurant-style chow fun noodles for home cooks. Poke at it to make sure it’s still soft, then cook it up the day you buy it. These are a scant 1/8 inch thick and 5/8 inch wide – thicker than what you want for noodle soup but perfect for stir-frying. The one I got is a Bay Area product. Maybe your Asian market carries something similar?Fresh chiles - Get what you can NOW and freeze them. I grew the long (Holland) chiles above from seeds I saved from purchased chiles. Fennel extract – Terrific for digestion and easier than chewing on fennel seeds. Mix it with club soda for a refreshing beverage too. Got this from my local health food store but you can source it online too. Dry-farmed tomatoes ­- The season is coming to a close on this Northern California specialty crop. Pioneered by Molino Creek Farm, the tomatoes are minimally watered, resulting in smaller fruit with intense flavor.

Reads

The Beauty of Humanity Movement – If you’re into the intricacies of pho and modern Vietnamese history, this historic novel by anthropologist Camilla Gibb is for you. Set in Hanoi, it trails the disillusionments and triumphs of a pho street vendor. Vials of MSG as prized keepsakes? That’s among the rich details in the engaging work.Asian dumpling pro: This New York Daily News profile of chef Peter Lee gives a glimpse into what it’s like to make 1,000 dumplings daily for a dim sum house.Hong Kong-Style wonton noodle soup in LA - On the Eat Drink & Be Merry blog, Dylan goes dissects one of his favorite dishes, revealing the cultural nuances that only an insider would know. His journey includes a list of noteworthy noodle joints.Diversity in agriculture – The New York Times published a great story on the rise of “refugee agriculture.” Farmers from Asia, the Middle East, and Africa are growing produce that they traditionally eat, not the usual suspects. I'm looking forward to that!Immigrant owners of food trucks – The Vilcek Foundation’s fall newsletter, Keep on Truckin’ profiles immigrant owners of food trucks, including Roy Choi of Kogi BBQ, Jerome Chang of Dessert Truck, Theo and Elena Butuya of Elena’s Restaurant.  Iliana de la Vega's Oaxacan El Naranjo inspired my spicy sardine corn empanadas.

Multimedia

Good Girl Dinette in LA – Thanks to Michelle Esperanza for pointing me to this KCET (public TV) video review of Diep Tran’s Los Angeles restaurant, Good Girl Dinette. Blogger Kathy Chaplin and writer Lien Ta critique the banh mi and pot pie. Tran discusses her road to restaurateurship.Sriracha hot sauce film project – Viet-American filmmaker Jess Dang is looking for funding for a documentary on Sriracha. You can back it for as little as $10.Tofu family legacy - Cookbook author Grace Young and novelist Monique Truong pointed me to this  WNYC public radio segment about the challenges of keeping the Fong Inn Too tofu factory open from generation to generation. 

 Feel free to add your reactions and comments. Pose questions too.

Posted in Asian Food Culture, Asian food news, Cooking Tips & Tools, Food Finds, Viet Food in Media, Viet Food News | Permalink

| |

Comments

You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

I love young ginger! It shows up in the Kansas City market every year. I can't find it in NYC, though.

Posted by:Noah |October 31, 2011 at 06:17 AM

San Diego Asian markets carry the rice noodles that are already sliced about the same width as the ones you show (not sure about the thickness). I can't remember the company's name, but they also make the noodle sheets, also pre-packaged. However, I miss buying the fresh-made noodle sheets from San Francisco's Chinatown.

Posted by:Sandy |October 31, 2011 at 07:53 AM

Noah: I bet you have to go to a Brooklyn or Flushing market for the young ginger. Hope the weekend snow storm wasn't overly freaky.

Posted by:Andrea Nguyen |October 31, 2011 at 09:29 AM

Sandy: I "think" the difference is that these rice noodles say "Chow Fun" on them -- so as to indicate that they're good for stir-frying. The "Hu Tieu" is generic in Vietnamese for Chinese-style rice noodles.

Posted by:Andrea Nguyen |October 31, 2011 at 09:30 AM

Andrea, I really wanted to back Jess Dang's Sriracha project. I really did. But the moment I read his essay about Sriracha being an island, I changed my mind. I've never been to Thailand and yet I know Sriracha is not an island. And this person is asking for money for a documentary that aims to educate people? Good luck.

Posted by:Chrisjone |October 31, 2011 at 05:52 PM

Chrisjone: You are absolutely right. Jess goofed. The coastal city of Sriracha has a nearby island named Koh Si Chang (Sichang Island). She may have mixed them up.

Oye. I'll let her know of the mistake. It's a worthy project but she needs to start off on the right foot!

Thanks for being upfront!

Posted by:Andrea Nguyen |October 31, 2011 at 09:42 PM

@Chrisjone: I apologize, I made the mistake of saying Sriracha was an island. Thanks for the heads up. -Jess

Posted by:Jess Dang |November 01, 2011 at 10:29 AM

Sriracha forever! Good luck, Jess

Posted by:Carmie Callobre |November 02, 2011 at 09:43 AM

I saw some this ginger in Boston last week. I was shocked by the price but it was fascinating none the less. Thanks for sharing!

Posted by:ashleyj@tablesofcontent.com |November 04, 2011 at 04:55 AM

At a Berkeley farmer's market, I paid about $8/lb for young ginger raised by local Asian farmers. The hand above I paid $4/lb. Our weather in Northern California and demand may explain the lower prices.

Posted by:Andrea Nguyen |November 06, 2011 at 10:01 AM

Re: Sriracha documentary, I love the idea! I hope Jess gets enough funding to proceed with the project.

Posted by:Oanh |November 12, 2011 at 08:52 AM

Verify your Comment Previewing your CommentPosted by:  | 

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Your comment could not be posted. Error type: Your comment has been posted. Post another comment The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Post a comment Comment below or sign in with TypePad Facebook Twitter and more... You are currently signed in as (nobody). Sign Out (URLs automatically linked.)

Your Information

(Name and email address are required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)

Name is required to post a comment

Please enter a valid email address

Invalid URL

Be Connected Get news via RSS or email
 Get updates in Facebook
 Follow me on Twitter
Search VWK

Share Shots#flickr_badge_source_txt {padding:0; font: 11px Arial, Helvetica, Sans serif; color:#666666;}#flickr_badge_icon {display:block !important; margin:0 !important; border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;}#flickr_icon_td {padding:0 5px 0 0 !important;}.flickr_badge_image {text-align:center !important;}.flickr_badge_image img {border: 0px solid black !important;}#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper {width:150px;}#flickr_www {display:block; text-align:center; padding:0 10px 0 10px !important; font: 11px Arial, Helvetica, Sans serif !important; color:#3993ff !important;}#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:hover,#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:link,#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:active,#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:visited {text-decoration:none !important; background:inherit !important;color:#3993ff;}#flickr_badge_wrapper {background-color:#ffffff;border: solid 1px #000000}#flickr_badge_source {padding:0 !important; font: 11px Arial, Helvetica, Sans serif !important; color:#666666 !important;}www.flickr.comMore in Viet World Kitchen pool. Add yours! Become a Fan ( function() { var container = document.getElementById( 'facebook-like-container' ); if ( container ) { var e = document.createElement( 'fb:like-box' ); e.setAttribute( 'href', 'http://www.facebook.com/vietworldkitchen' ); // FB.XFBML.Element._getPxAttribute dies with an error in IE // if the value of "width" is set to an integer, not a string. e.setAttribute( 'width', container.offsetWidth + 'px' ); e.setAttribute( 'connections', '0' ); e.setAttribute( 'stream', 'false' ); e.setAttribute( 'header', 'false' ); container.appendChild( e ); } } )(); RecipesAppetizer and Snack RecipesBanh (Crepes, dumplings, cakes, bread) RecipesBanh Mi Sandwich RecipesBasic Sauces, Stocks and Garnishes RecipesChile Sauce RecipesClaypot (Kho) RecipesDeep-Fried RecipesDessert and Sweets RecipesDipping Sauces RecipesDrink and Beverage RecipesGluten-Free RecipesGrilled RecipesMain Course RecipesMeat RecipesNoodles RecipesOne-Dish Meals RecipesPho RecipesPoultry and Egg RecipesRice RecipesSalad RecipesSeafood RecipesSoup RecipesStir-Fry RecipesStreet Food RecipesVegan RecipesVegetable Sides and Pickles RecipesVegetarian Recipes Vietnamese RecipesNon-Vietnamese RecipesViet World Kitchen | Copyright 2002-2011 by Andrea Nguyen | Privacy Policy

document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https://sb" : "http://b") + ".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js'%3E%3C/script%3E"));COMSCORE.beacon({ c1: 2, c2: "6035669", c3: "", c4: "http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2011/10/october-2011-young-ginger-pho-novel-sriracha-documentary.html", c5: "", c6: "", c15: ""});

View the original article here