King Prawn Foo Yung

Name: King Prawn Foo Yung
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 2 to 3 servings
Cuisine: Chinese Menu
Ingredients: King Prawns — 150g; Eggs — 4; Cornflour — 1 tbsp; Water — 1 tbsp; Spring Onions — 2; Onion — ½; Bean Sprouts — 100g; Salt — ½ tsp; White Pepper — ¼ tsp; Vegetable Oil — 2 tbsp; Unsalted Chicken Stock — 250ml; Soy Sauce — 1 tbsp; Sugar — ¼ tsp; Cornflour — 1 tbsp; Water — 2 tbsp; Sesame Oil — 1 tsp

King Prawn Foo Yung is the most luxurious version of the classic Chinese omelette. It is a dish of elegant contrasts: the soft, pillowy 'clouds' of fried egg serve as a delicate nest for large, succulent prawns that 'pop' with sweetness. It is a hearty, savoury staple that manages to feel both sophisticated and deeply comforting.

Cuisines

Cooking Instructions

Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 10 minutes

Servings: 2 to 3

Notes:

Adding a thick cornflour slurry to the egg mixture helps bind the patties together and prevents weeping during frying.

Unsalted chicken stock allows you to control the saltiness of the rich gravy precisely.

Pre-cooking the prawns, onions, and bean sprouts ensures the vegetables soften slightly while remaining crisp inside the fried egg patties.

Small prawns or sliced large king prawns work equally well in this recipe.

Prepare Batter and Vegetables
Finely chop the spring onions, keeping the white stems separate from the green tops. Thinly slice the onion and separate the layers. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. In a small cup, mix 1 tablespoon of cornflour with 1 tablespoon of cold water until smooth, then whisk into the beaten eggs.

Sauté Prawns and Vegetables
Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the raw king prawns and pan-fry for 1 minute per side until golden and pink. Add the spring onion stems, sliced onion, and bean sprouts, stir-frying for 1 minute until slightly softened.

Combine and Fry Egg Patties
Transfer the cooked prawns and vegetables into the bowl with the beaten eggs. Add the green spring onion tops, salt, and ground white pepper, stirring until combined. Add a little oil to the pan over medium heat, ladle portions of the mixture in, and fry for 2 minutes per side until golden brown, then transfer to a plate.

Simmer Gravy and Serve
In the same pan, combine the chicken stock, soy sauce, and sugar, bringing to a boil. Whisk 1 tablespoon of cornflour with 2 tablespoons of cold water, then slowly pour into the boiling stock whilst stirring until thickened into a smooth gravy. Stir in the sesame oil, pour the hot gravy generously over the egg foo yung patties, and serve hot.