Egg foo young is an omelette dish found in Chinese, Indonesian, British, and Chinese American cuisine.

Literally meaning "Hibiscus egg", this dish is prepared with beaten eggs and most often minced ham. It may be made with various vegetables such as bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, sliced cabbage, spring onions, mushrooms, and water chestnuts. When meat is used as an ingredient, a choice of roast pork, shrimp, chicken, beef, or lobster may be offered.

In Chinese Indonesian cuisine, it is known as fu yung hai, sometimes spelled as pu yung hai. The omelette is usually made from the mixture of vegetables such as carrots, bean sprouts, and cabbages, mixed with meats such as crab meat, shrimp, or minced chicken. The dish is served in sweet and sour sauce with peas.

In Western countries, the dish usually appears as a well-folded omelette with the non-egg ingredients embedded in the egg mixture, covered in or served with sauce or gravy. Chinese chefs in the United States, at least as early as the 1930s, created a pancake filled with eggs, vegetables, and meat or seafood. In a U.S. regional variation, many American-Chinese restaurants in St. Louis, Missouri, serve what is called a St. Paul sandwich, which is an egg foo young patty served with mayonnaise, dill pickle, and sometimes lettuce and tomato between two slices of white bread.

In the Netherlands, which has a local variation on the Chinese Indonesian cuisine, it is known as Foe yong hai, and is usually served with a sweet tomato sauce. Strictly, according to hai in the name, it should contain crab, but it is often served without this ingredient.

There are several other variations in different countries of this dish but all have the simple start of an omelette. You should come in and try ours and see what you think!

China is a large continent which boarders and in close proximity to other countries. Just as we’ve learned from previous blog posts there are different cooking styles/flavors from other regions of China. This also spreads over to the different influences that China has picked up on countries that are close by such as Mongolia and Indonesia.

Let's start with Mongolia. This country is sandwiched between China and Russia, both very large and in charge countries with their own complicated history to Mongolia but this didn't mean they wouldn't be influential. Since this is a landlocked country on a rocky, mountainous terrain they are not able to produce a lot of vegetables or spices limiting them to a meat and dairy based diet. A lot of the Mongolian people raise their own animals and have created several dishes such as mutton and even have their own version of a dumpling called Buuz. Even though Mongolian cuisine primarily consists of meat it is still influential showcasing how even when you are limited you can still make amazing food

Now on to Indonesia. The flavors in this country, since way more south of Mongolia and China, create a whole different palette. Their food consist of a lot of flavor and spices that really give your food a kick and a more complex flavor. Bali curry typically consist of meat that is cooked in a curry paste that is combined of several different spices to give it a unique flavor. This then is boiled in coconut milk and a variety of vegetables can be added such as potatoes, green beans, and carrots. As you can tell these dishes are both different but similar stemming from the concept of using what is around them where they live.

Even though these two countries are very far apart they still have a common thread of food. Sure, their flavors may be drastically different but there is a reason why Windchimes has both on their menu. These two countries are important cultural influences to China whether you realize it or not. We live in an age where these different flavors be carried out in all parts of the world. With the ever expanding food scene we are able to give people not only a taste of China but other places like Mongolia and Indonesia.  There are so many cultural influences on food and that’s what makes it so magical. We are able to bring so much of ourselves and interests into it and share it with the people who are curious to try it. So, why not be that person and come in and try our Mongolian Style cooking and Bali Curry. I know you won’t be disappointed!

Chinese cuisine is very important in their culture. It not only showcases the flavors of China but also the different regions that they originated from. Two particular styles of cooking that sometimes get confused with one another is Szechuan and Hunan. They seem similar but they have particular differences that you might not pick up on right away.

Here's the breakdown:

Szechuan cuisin (sometimes also known as Sichuan) is a style of Chinese cooking originating in the Sichuan Province of southwestern China. This region is famous for their pungently, spicey flavors. There is usually a generous amounts of garlic and chili peppers in this dish along with citrus like spices that could produce a "tingly-numbing" senations in the mouth. This dish also pairs well with peanuts, sesame paste and ginger that can give it a more dynamic taste. Szechuan's flavor is known more for it's sweet and spicey taste rather it being just hot.

Hunan cuisin (also known as Xiang) originated in the Xiang River region and the Western Hunan Province. This style also has a "hot tongue numbing" seasoning known as 'mala'. It, too, has a lot of garlic and chili pepper with the addition of shallots. Though, it may seem like it is similar to Szechuan, Hunan is more for dry and purely hot with an oiler taste. Even though it's a more plain flavor there still is a range of fresh ingredients used that changes seasonally to combate with the weather around the region.

Who knew that cooking could be so regional!?! Come back and learn more as we unpack the Windchimes menu and find out more history where these food favorites comes from. 

Do you have a favorite? Did you even know the difference between the two? Come into WIndchimes today and try both out and see which one you like better!