You can substitute black pepper for the white pepper if you want. Seasonings – The other seasonings are white pepper and sesame oil. For example, instead of 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, you can add 1/2 tablespoon of soy sauce and a 1/4 teaspoon of sugar.
If you want to make this (or any dish calling for oyster sauce) plant-based, just substitute half the called for amount with soy sauce, and add a pinch of sugar. It has a wonderful balance between savory and sweet and imparts loads of umami without making the dish taste overly fishy. Oyster Sauce – This is the primary seasoning ingredient for both the marinade as well as the sauce. If you want to make this plant-based, you can substitute a vegetable or mushroom stock instead. If you’re using tofu, be sure to use firm tofu and drain it well on a rack for about 30 minutes before you marinate it, so it doesn’t get watery.Ĭhicken Stock – The stock forms the base for the sauce, so it’s best to use a good quality chicken stock. If you want to make this vegan friendly, you substitute your favorite plant-based protein, such as firm tofu, seitan, or tempeh. For this recipe, I’ve used pork shoulder chops, but any tender, flavorful cut of meat or seafood such as chicken or shrimp will work. Protein – I usually add about 200 grams of protein to my Chop Suey. Like any stir-fry, the ingredients for this one are pretty flexible, just make sure you maintain the relative ratios of protein and veggies to sauce, and you should be good. Stir-frying the meat separately in the center of the pan avoids the need to temporarily remove ingredients from the pan, and it also allows the vegetables around the edges of the pan to brown in parts, which imparts some wok-charred taste to the Chop Suey.The additional mass also helps it retain heat better, so the temperature doesn’t fluctuate as much when you add ingredients. I like using a large frying pan as the extra surface area allows more of the food to come into contact with the hot pan. When stir-frying, it’s important to use a hot pan, so the Chop Suey doesn’t get soggy.Marinating the protein not only helps season it, but the potato starch in the marinade also helps gel the juices coming out of the meat as it cooks so it won’t get dried out.Sizing the vegetables according to the amount of time it takes to cook ensures everything cooks through in about the same amount of time.Using a large variety of contrasting vegetables not only make this visually appealing, but it also gives the dish a wide range of textures, which helps make each bite more interesting.The type of vegetables you add and whether you serve it over rice or noodles is entirely up to your tastes and what you have in the fridge, so get creative and have fun with this classic. If you follow these basic rules, you’re all but guaranteed to be sitting down to a delightfully easy and delicious Chop Suey that comes together in about 15 minutes. It’s also not a dish well suited for take-out as the vegetables tend to get soggy and mushy when they’re not eaten right away. I suspect that as Chinese-American cuisine evolved to include more proteins, restaurants preferred pushing patrons towards more protein-heavy dishes that they could charge more for. Trends change, and dishes like Chop Suey and Moo Goo Gai Pan have fallen out of favor. Sounds pretty good, huh? So how did this standard-bearer fall from being the face of Chinese cuisine in America to become a culinary abomination?
With a history stretching back over 150 years in this country, it’s one of the first known examples of Chinese-American cuisine.Īt its core, Chop Suey is a quick stir-fry, including a little meat and a lot of vegetables, that’s finished off in a savory sauce that’s thick enough to coat everything with flavor. Despite being an early ambassador for Chinese cuisine in the US, Chop Suey was most likely created in America. There was a time when Chop Suey was synonymous with Chinese food, and neon-lit signs towered over Main streets across the country.
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