Egg Foo Yung

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                            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Rosemary Zwick for this classic food funny:

A minister was completing a temperance sermon. With great
emphasis he said, "If I had all the beer in the world, I'd take it
and pour it into the river." With even greater emphasis he said,
"And if I had all the wine in the world, I'd take it and pour it into
the river." And then finally, shaking his fist in the air, he said,
"And if I had all the whiskey in the world, I'd take it and pour
it into the river."

Sermon complete, he sat down. The song leader stood up
very cautiously and announced with a smile, nearly laughing,
"For our closing song, let us sing Hymn #365, 'Shall We Gather at the River.'"

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                            TODAY'S RECIPE
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This is not a Chinese dish, but was actually created right here
in the good-ol' US of A by Chinese immigrants. You won't find
this dish served anywhere in or near China, but it is an American classic.

Egg Foo Yung

For the sauce:
2 Tbs (30 ml) vegetable oil
1/4 lb (100 g) mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 cups (500 ml) boiling chicken stock, fresh or canned
1 Tbs (15 ml) soy sauce
1 Tbs (15 ml) tomato ketchup
2 Tbs (30 ml) cornstarch (cornflour), dissolved in
2 Tbs (30 ml) water

For the pancakes:
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) canned or fresh bean sprouts
1 medium sized onion, halved and cut lengthwise into 1/16 in (2 mm) wide strips
1 stalk celery, cut into 2 in (5 cm) lengths then cut lengthwise into 1/16 in (2 mm) wide strips
1/2 lb (225 g) thinly sliced boiled ham, cut into 2 by
1/16 inch (5 cm x 2 mm) strips
8 eggs
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 Tbs (30 ml) vegetable oil for frying

Beginning with the sauce, heat the oil in a heavy skillet over
moderate heat and cook the mushrooms until they are soft and
slightly colored. Add the chicken stock, soy sauce, and ketchup
and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir the cornstarch and water
mixture to recombine it, then stir it into the boiling sauce. Lower
the heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it is no longer
milky. Partially cover the pan and keep the sauce warm over the lowest possible heat.

Combine the bean sprouts (drained and patted dry if using canned),
the onion, celery, and ham in a large mixing bowl. In another bowl
beat the eggs lightly and stir in the salt and pepper. Heat the
vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Stir the bean sprout
mixture into the beaten eggs and, using about 1/4 cup (60 ml)
of the batter per pancake, cook three or four pancakes at a time
over high heat. Turn the pancakes after 30 seconds and fry an
additional 30 seconds, until they are puffy and golden brown.
Serve immediately, accompanied by the hot mushroom sauce in a bowl or sauce boat.
Makes 12 pancakes, to serve 4 to 6.
Received on Wed May 4 08:34:42 2011