August 2023
Updated Oct 2023
I love Chinese food but I find it is easier to get a take away 🙂 I rarely venture to try different things and almost always order “House Special Chop Suey” because I love it, the inclusion of Chicken, Pork, Beef and Prawns and the “brown gravy” just hits the spot. Served with egg fried rice and Prawn crackers, heaven 🙂
I often cook Sweet and Sour Chicken or Pork with white rice and it is quite good. I use the “Hairy Bikers” recipe for the sauce it isn’t lke you would get from the take away but is very nice.
The Game Changer.
Recently, I found out how easy it is to make Chop Suey at home here and here my favourite is the second link that uses Chicken Stock. Chop Suey is basically stir fried vegetables – whatever you fancy and add meat if you want.
The easiest way is to buy a bag of “Stir Fry Veg” (usually fresh but also available as frozen) but you can use whatever you want. I tend to add extra bean sprouts and Water chestnuts. If you want to add Chicken, Pork or Beef, it’s a good idea to “Velvet” it first to make sure it is nice and tender.
The “brown” sauce / gravy. To me the gravy brings it all together, get this right (to your liking) and you will never look back. You need Oyster sauce, Soy Sauce, Shaoxing wine, Chicken stock (could be a stock cube) and Corn Flour / Starch. Gluten Free Soy sauce is good.
Start with the Chicken stock and then add the Oyster sauce and Soy sauce. Check the taste and colour. Add more Oyster sauce for a deeper colour or more Soy sauce for a bit more kick. Then add the Corn startch to thicken to the consistency that you like. Then add the magic, Shaoxing wine. You don’t need much taste the gravy, you might need to add a little sugar because the Shaoxing wine can be sour. When you have the brown gravy to your liking, make a note of the quantities so that you can reproduce any time you want.
The Shaoxing wine is a definite game changer, it really does make a difference. I’ve tried White Wine Vinegar and it wasn’t bad. You could try a splash of Dry Sherry or even toasted Sesame oil. Ultimately, the Oyster sauce, Soy sauce and Shaoxing wine in the ratios that you like are the controlling factors but the Chicken stock is a major player to the overall taste.
Here’s what I do and I just love the taste. It is as near as you’re going to get to a take away.
- Velvet the meat. Marinade with Soy Sauce, Oyster sauce and Corn starch optional Bi-Carb of soda. Leave to rest for 20 – 30 mins stirring occasionally.
- Prep the veg, unless using stir fry veg in a packet.
- Rinse the meat to remove the corn startch, and dry off.
- Add oil to a non stick frying pan or Wok (if you have one).
- Fry the meat for a few minutes until it has some colour – to your liking.
- Put the meat to one side.
- Put the rice on to cook – will need15 mins or so.
- Stir fry the veg. Pak Choi, Bean sprouts, Snap peas, Mange Tout, Bell peppers, Mushroom, Onion, Water chestnut, finely chopped cabage – whatever takes your fancy, while rice is cooking.
- Add the Chicken Stock along with the marinade that you used for the meat or add Soy sauce, Oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine and Corn starch (to thicken).
- Add the meat and cook for a further 5 / 10 mins.
- Taste to see if it needs any salt or pepper.
- Drain and serve the rice.
- Serve the Chop Suey.
- Open the bag of Prawn crackers and enjoy 🙂
It is so simple, the Chicken stock is a game changer. You can experiment with the amount of Soy and Oyster sauce and the Shaoxing wine. You might need to add a little sugar or even MSG. I manage quite well without a Wok, I just use a large non stick frying pan and I tend to cook the veg at a lower temp and for longer.
Preparation is the key. You’ll need about 30 mins to marinade / velvet the meat. About 10 or 15 mins to prep the veg, unless you are using prepared stir fry veg. 15+ mins for the rice. Stir fry veg 5 – 15 mins. Combining the veg & meat 5 – 10 mins. All in you are looking at maybe 45 mins to an hour inc prep.
The “Pinch point” will be the stir fry veg. If you like it crunchy, it will cook while the rice is cooking. I like my veg to have a bite but not crunchy so I stir fry in oil for 5 mins or so and then add boiling water and keep on a high heat for maybe 10 mins until the water has boiled off and the veg are cooked more to my liking. Then I add the chicken stock along with the soy, oyster sauce, cooking wine and corn starch. After a few mins I add the meat and cook for maybe 10 more mins.
Serve with fried or boiled rice and prawn crackers.
Chop Suey is one of my favourite meals because it is so simple and easy to make. You use whatever veg you want to stir fry, use whatever meat you want (if any). Make the “brown gravy” to bring it all together and serve with boiled or fried rice and Prawn crackers.
Some would say that Chop Suey is for peasants but Chow Mein is for connoisseurs. We are all different and I’m not a fan of noodles but love bean sprouts and stir fried veg. So here’s to peasant food 🙂