And why the American Chopsuey you have been eating isn’t all that American after all…
When you think of Indo Chinese cuisine, you think of tangy, spicy and completely yummy dishes. Gobi Manchurian, Chicken Hakka Noodles, Dragon Chicken…these are a few dishes that would come to mind.
Here’s another dish you should add to that list: the saucy, veggie laden American Chopsuey. Surprisingly enough, the American Chopsuey one finds in India is the Indian version of an Americanised, Chinese dish. Mind-boggled yet? We’ll get to that in a bit.
Our American Chicken Chopsuey recipe sticks to all the parameters of an Indo Chinese dish providing spice and contrasting textures (with the fried noodles and the sauce). This recipe is great for a family of 4 or for when you have guests to impress.
Head to the bottom if you want to get straight to the recipe, but we recommend you stick around for the quick food history lesson.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for a super-quick, Indo Chinese chicken to fry along with your noodles, order our ready-to-cook Sichuan Chilli Chicken. Boneless, dark meat strips of chicken thigh are coated in a classic marinade of soy sauce and spices. This dish works perfectly as a starter.
Now, back on the topic of chop suey.
What is Chopsuey?
Chop suey or ‘tsap sui’ in Chinese, translates to “odds and ends”, This means that the chop suey is a dish combining whatever leftovers you may have in your fridge into a stir-fry of meat and vegetables, coated in a delicious sauce.
The dish has two possible origin stories. One, that it was brought over to the USA by Chinese immigrants and another that Chinese chefs adapted the dish for Westerners using familiar local ingredients (beans, carrots, button mushrooms etc.)
American Chopsuey vs Indo American Chopsuey?
The difference between the two dishes lies in the choice of vegetables used in the sauce. The American version uses popular East-Asian vegetables such as bamboo shoots, bean sprouts and celery. One can cook it with any kind of meat; chicken, fish, beef, shrimp, or pork are popular preferences.
The Indian version consists of vegetables more familiar to the region, such as carrots, beans, cabbage etc. You could, as the name suggests, put any leftover vegetables and other “odds and ends” into the dish; but these are the vegetables that go into a classic Indo American Chopsuey. Chicken is the primary meat used in the dish. The Indianised version is also spicier, to suit the Indian taste buds.
Few tips while preparing your American Chicken Chopsuey:
Deep fry your noodles on a medium flame. This will prevent the noodles from getting burnt (if cooked on high flame) or too soggy from the oil (if cooked on low flame)
If you’re serving the chop suey hours after it has been made, adjust the consistency of the sauce by adding a little water and heating it.
If you followed this recipe and had some more tips and tricks to add to this list, comment below! Share your photos of yummy American Chicken Chopsuey, tag us and use the hashtag #MadewithLicious to be featured on our page!
Ingredients
Ingredients
For the noodles:
For the sauce:
For the toppings:
Let’s cook
For the noodles:
Cook noodles according to packet instructions.
Drain and divide into 4 portions, for easy frying.
Heat 2 cups of oil in a kadhai for deep frying. Fry each portion of noodles till golden brown. Drain on an absorbent towel and set aside
For the sauce:
Combine the cornflour with water, stir until lump-free and set aside.
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a deep non-stick pan/wok. Add the ginger and garlic, and saute until aromatic.
Add the sliced onion to the mix and saute till soft and translucent. Add the chopped chicken to the mixture and stir until cooked through
Add the carrot, bell pepper and cabbage. Cook until tender but still crisp.
Top the mixture with the ketchup, chilli sauce, salt, pepper and sugar and cook for a minute stirring continuously
Add the cornflour mixture, vinegar, mix well and cook for around 4 minutes until the sauce thickens
Divide the sauce into 4 portions
For the topping:
Chop the spring onions
Fry the 4 eggs in whatever style you prefer--we suggest doing a simple sunny side up for the runny yolk to add richness to the sauce
Assembly:
Place one portion of the fried noodles and pour the sauce over it. Top the plate off with a fried egg and the sliced green onions.
Do the same for the 3 other plates. Serve warm.
