Tastes Of The Past

As a teenager, my younger sister Peggy, my best friends Patti, Debbie and I would often scrape our money together and go to the neighborhood Chinese restaurant for a delicious meal.  This restaurant was the quintessential Chinese restaurant with red leather banquette seats, Chinese lantern lights hanging from the ceiling and painted rural Chinese scenes on the walls.  It was on the same block in town as the bakery, five and dime store and the hardware store. 

I can only remember two things for certain that we would consistently order and that was the delicious barbequed pork egg foo yung and egg rolls.   The egg foo yung would arrive with three overstuffed patties filled with bean sprouts, onion and slivers of overly pink pork all encased in fluffy scrambled egg with a dark sauce-like gravy to put over the top. 

In all the years since, I have never tasted egg foo yung quite as good as that.  I thought that perhaps I could make my own and see if I could come anywhere close to those delectable eggy patties.  I think I came pretty darn close on my first attempt.  I actually bought some BBQ pork from a Chinese restaurant then went to the local Asian store to buy some sprouts and water chestnuts. 

This is a fairly simple recipe to make and much of the chopping can be done ahead of time.  When I make this again, I think I will try pouring the egg mixture into a round 4" ring mold to cook so the patties are a little more uniform in appearance.  Serve with white or fried rice and a green veggie such as broccoli or beans and you have a great dinner.

Barbequed Pork Egg Foo Yung

8 oz. bean sprouts, washed and drained
1 cup finely diced Chinese style barbequed pork
8 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup diced canned water chestnuts
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp vegetable oil

Gravy

1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt
dash of pepper
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp cold water.

Stir bean sprouts, water chestnuts, pork, eggs, green onions and salt together just to blend.  Heat oil in large frying pan over medium high.  Pour 1/2 cup egg mixture into pan.  Push cooked egg up over pork/veggies with broad spatula to form a patty.  Fry patty until set and golden brown, turning once about 4 minutes.  Repeat with remaining egg mixture, adding more oil as needed.  Keep patties warm in a 300 degree oven.

Heat chicken broth, soy sauce, salt and pepper to boiling.  Mix cornstarch and water; stir into broth mixture.  Cook and stir until thickened, about 10 seconds.  Serve with Egg Foo Yung patties.  (Makes 5-6 patties)