globally recognisable dish. The origins of this dish are a matter of
contention, with some claiming that it was invented by Chinese
immigrants working on US railroads, while others state that the dish
originates from Taishan. The basics of this dish are meat (such as
chicken or pork), cooked quickly with vegetables, (usually beansprouts,
celery and cabbage among others), and the addition of a thick sauce
(such as hoi sin or oyster based sauce) finishes the dish.
The basic breakdown of the Chinese recipe for Chop suey, using pork as the meat is as follows:
– 1lb Pork
– 2 small bunches of broccoli
– 1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms
– 1/2 cup of water chestnuts
– 1/2 cup bamboo shoots
– 1 large pepper
– 2 sticks of celery
– 1 onion
– Oil for stir frying
For the marinade:
– 1 teaspoon of soy sauce
– 1 to 2 teaspoons of oyster sauce
– salt/ pepper
– 1 small teaspoon of corn starch
For the sauce:
– 3 tablespoons of water, or alternatively chicken stock
– 2 teaspoons of oyster sauce
– a small teaspoon of corn starch
The simple preparation involves
firstly cutting the meat, in this case pork, into strips, seasoning, and
marinating for around ten to fifteen minutes. As the meat is
marinating, the preparation for the sauce and vegetables can be started.
Cut the bamboo shoots, pepper, and celery into thin pieces. The
mushrooms, along with the onion, and the water chestnuts, should be
sliced. Put the cut veg to one side. Heat up some oil in a wok, and when
heated properly its time to cook through the pork, and stir fry until
any pinkness is gone from the meat, before removing and setting aside.
Put a small amount of oil in the wok to accommodate the vegetables that
are now to be added to the heat. After the vegetables are cooked
through, remove them from the pan, and add the meat. Be sure to heat it
through properly before adding the rest of the ingredients. Add sauce,
heat through, and enjoy the classic Chinese Recipe that is Chop suey!