Chopsuey has many stories about its origin. There is one in which it said that a Chinese diplomat asked his personal chef to create a dish for American guests, another one wherein a tired owner mixed together scraps of food to feed hungry miners, and one wherein Chinese-American restaurateurs found inspiration from a Cantonese dish named tsap seui.
With the crunch of the vegetables, the soft yet slightly crisp scrumptiousness of meat and seafood, and the savory sauce which coats every ingredient–it is no wonder that the chopsuey is a Filipino favorite vegetable dish.
Chopsuey
Ingredients
For Blanching:
- Water
- Salt
- Vegetables
For Marinating:
- Oil, for sautéing
- 250 g. kasim, sliced
- 2 Tbsps. soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 2 Tbsps. potato starch
For Sautéing:
- Oil
- Marinated pork
- 1/2 pc. green bell pepper
- 1/2 pc. red bell pepper
- 3 pcs. dried shiitake, hydrated
- 1/4 cup button mushroom
- 1/4 cup straw mushroom
- 1/2 pc. white onion
- 1/4 cup celery
- 80 g. chicken liver
- 80 g. shrimp
- 1 pack Maggi Magic Sarap
- 1/2 pc. carrot
- 1 cup broccoli
- 1 cup broccoli stem
- 1 cup cauliflower
- 1 cup chayote
For the Sauce:
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 Tbsps. soy sauce
- 3 Tbsps. oyster sauce
- 3 Tbsps. potato starch
For the Finish:
- 2 cups cabbage
- 1 cup snow pea
- Drizzle of sesame oil
- Black pepper, to taste
Garnish:
- Fried garlic
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables. Chop the bell pepper, carrot, onion, broccoli stalk, sayote, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, and mushrooms. Do not throw away the vegetable scraps. Use it to make a delicious vegetable broth.
- Once all the vegetables have been chopped, prepare the meat. Slice the pork, shrimp, and chicken liver.
- In a pot with boiling water, add salt. Blanch the hard vegetables. Once done, remove it from the water and set aside.
- Marinate the meat. In a bowl with the pork, add soy sauce, black pepper, and starch. Mix well.
- In a wok, heat the oil. Fry the pork. Add the bell pepper, onion, celery, and mushrooms. Toss them together. Add chicken liver and shrimp. Season with Maggi Magic Sarap. Leave it to cook for 1 - 2 minutes, then add the blanched vegetables. Toss.
- While it is cooking, make the sauce. Make use of the vegetable stock. Strain it in a bowl and add soy sauce, oyster sauce, and starch. Mix until everything is dissolved, then add it in to the wok. Add the cabbage and peas. Drizzle the sesame oil, then finish with black pepper. Toss them all together.
Chopsuey Vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1 pc. chicken bouillon
- 500 g. blanched egg noodles
- Black pepper and sesame oil, to taste
- Top with chopsuey vegetables
Garnish:
- Quail eggs
Instructions
- Use your leftover chopsuey in this recipe. Boil vegetable stock if available. Season with chicken bouillon. Add egg noodles and season with black pepper and sesame oil. Toss everything together.
- Once the noodles are cooked, place it on a plate and top with the stir-fried vegetables or leftover chopsuey. Garnish with quail eggs and fried garlic.
Chopsuey Soup
Ingredients
- 8 cups water
- 1 pc. chicken bouillon
- 100 g. pork, sliced
- 1/2 pc. onion
- 1/4 cup celery
- 1/2 pc. carrot
- 1/2 cup chayote
- 1/2 cup cauliflower
- 1/4 cup shiitake mushroom
- 1/4 cup straw mushroom
- 1/4 cup button mushroom
- 80 g. chicken liver
- 80 g. shrimp
- 2 cups cabbage
- 1/2 cup snow pea
- Salt and white pepper
- Drizzle of sesame oil
- 2 pcs. egg
Garnish:
- Fried garlic
Instructions
- In a pot with boiling water, add chicken bouillon. Add the pork, onions, celery, carrots, sayote, cauliflower, and three kinds of mushrooms. Leave it to simmer for a few minutes, or until the vegetables are done.
- Once the vegetables are cooked, add the chicken liver and shrimp. Mix gently.
- After 30 seconds, add the cabbage and peas. Season with salt, white pepper, and sesame oil.
- Once the soup starts boiling, add an egg or two, depending on your preference. Stir gently.
- When it is cooked, scoop it into a bowl. Finish with spring onions, sesame oil, and an egg. Garnish with fried garlic.
With these variations of chopsuey, you will surely be able to choose one that even your little ones will like. If there happens to be leftovers, just heat it up. The vegetables may not be as crispy after a second round of cooking, but they will certainly still be delicious.
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