I didn’t get to take the two Asian cuisine classes at my school because my husband was being transferred off the island we were living on.  I could have stayed behind an extra six months to get in the three classes I needed to graduate, but the fact that I had our first son nine months after he left the island always makes me grateful for the decision I made at the time.  As it was, my husband only made it home from a long deployment with a few weeks to spare before I had our baby, I can’t imagine if I’d been in the middle of the Pacific alone when he was due or trying to move before the end of a pregnancy.

The only time I regret my decision is when I want to make my favorite Chinese or Japanese food.  I feel like I’m lost and even the 4″ thick, 8″X12″ massive Chinese cookbook I have leaves me bewildered.  I had a few local, Japanese/Hawaiian friends from school who told me how to make egg rolls, fried rice, and such but I wish I could make a dinner with all of my favorites.  Egg Foo Yung is hard to mess up so it’s what I make most often.  We always have eggs and vegetables on hand so it’s very easy to throw together, but I doubt I’ve ever used the same vegetables twice.

Ingredients:

4 whole large eggs, beaten well

1 1/2 c. broccoli divided into very small florets

1 c. carrots, diced

1 c. onions, diced

1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced

1 tsp. oyster sauce

Pinch of salt

Brown Sauce:

1 c. beef broth

3 T soy sauce

1 tsp. oyster sauce

1 tsp. cornstarch

Cooking oil

Method:

Combine the ingredients for the pancakes.

Mix together the sauce ingredients, whisking until smooth.  Heat the sauce while stirring until it bubbles and thickens.  Set aside.  Heat a griddle or saute pan over medium to high heat.  Add enough oil to coat the bottom plus a little more.  Ladle a couple of ounces of the pancake batter onto the hot griddle or pan.  Cook a few minutes on one side.

Flip and cook until finished, another minute or two.  Serve with Brown Sauce drizzled over the top.

Makes 4 main course servings.