Foo yung (often written “egg foo young”) is a Chinese-style omelette made with beaten eggs mixed with vegetables and usually some meat or seafood, then fried into a thick pancake and served with a savory brown gravy-style sauce.

What is foo yung?

  • It’s essentially a savory egg omelette or “egg pancake.”
  • Common fillings: bean sprouts, onions, mushrooms, cabbage, and meats like chicken, pork, shrimp, crab, or ham.
  • It’s typically pan‑fried (sometimes deep‑fried) until the outside is slightly crisp and the inside stays soft and custardy.
  • It’s almost always served with a rich brown gravy made from stock, soy sauce, and a starch thickener, poured over the omelette.

In many Western Chinese restaurants, when you order “Chicken Foo Yung” or “Shrimp Egg Foo Young,” you’re getting this same base omelette with different fillings and the same gravy on top.

Where did it come from?

  • The name “foo yung” comes from Cantonese and is related to “hibiscus egg,” reflected in the Chinese term 芙蓉蛋 (fúróng dàn).
  • It developed as a Chinese‑American restaurant dish in the late 19th–early 20th century, adapted by Cantonese cooks for American tastes.
  • There are related versions in other cuisines, like Indonesian Chinese “fu yung hai,” often a crab-and-vegetable omelette served with a sweet‑sour sauce.

How is it usually served?

  • As a main dish over rice, with gravy spooned on top.
  • Variants include “special foo yung” that mixes several meats (e.g., chicken, pork, shrimp) in one omelette.
  • Home recipes emphasize fresh eggs and vegetables, quick cooking in a hot wok or pan, and balancing crisp edges with a tender center.

Mini example: a simple chicken foo yung

  • Beat eggs, add shredded cabbage, bean sprouts, sliced scallions, and diced cooked chicken.
  • Ladle into a hot oiled pan, cook until golden on both sides.
  • Top with a quick gravy made from chicken broth, soy sauce, and cornstarch.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.