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Egg Foo Young

Egg foo young is a Chinese-American classic that delivers crispy, golden pancakes loaded with vegetables, shrimp, and savory egg batter all in one bite. This dish comes together in under 30 minutes and tastes restaurant-quality right from your home kitchen.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese-American
Calories: 280
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 8 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup shrimp chopped (fresh or frozen and thawed)
  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 1/2 cup diced bell pepper red or yellow
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 1/3 cup diced water chestnuts
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil for cooking
  • Salt to taste
Gravy
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • 12-inch skillet or wok
  • Spatula or fish turner
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Cutting board and knife
  • Paper towels
  • Small saucepan for gravy

Method
 

  1. Dice the bell pepper, onion, and water chestnuts into small, uniform pieces to ensure even cooking.
  2. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture and prevent soggy pancakes.
  3. Crack the 8 eggs into a large mixing bowl and whisk together until yolks and whites are fully combined with no streaks remaining.
  4. Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper to the eggs and whisk again for about one minute to fully incorporate seasonings.
  5. Fold in the shrimp, bean sprouts, diced bell pepper, diced onion, and diced water chestnuts with a spatula or wooden spoon. Stir gently but thoroughly for approximately 30 seconds until ingredients are evenly distributed.
  6. Place the 12-inch skillet or wok over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
  7. Let the oil heat for about two minutes until it shimmers when the pan is tilted, indicating it is hot enough.
  8. Pour approximately 1/2 cup of batter into the center of the hot skillet, allowing it to spread naturally into a 4-inch pancake.
  9. Let the pancake cook undisturbed for about two minutes until the bottom is golden brown and crispy.
  10. Using a spatula or fish turner, flip the pancake carefully and cook the other side for 90 seconds until golden brown and slightly crispy.
  11. Transfer cooked pancakes to a plate and repeat the process with remaining batter, cooking in batches (preferably two pancakes at a time) until all batter is used, yielding about eight pancakes total.
  12. While cooking the last batch of pancakes, prepare the gravy by whisking together 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 2 cloves minced garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper in a small saucepan.
  13. Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly for about three minutes until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  14. Arrange the egg foo young pancakes on serving plates and pour the hot gravy generously over the top.
  15. Serve immediately while pancakes are still warm and crispy.

Notes

Pat shrimp dry before mixing batter to prevent sogginess. Cook pancakes in small batches to maintain oil temperature and crispiness. Don't flip pancakes until the first side is golden brown, about two minutes. Make gravy while cooking the last pancakes to serve hot and fresh.