Recipe of the Week: Chop Suey

I was heartbroken to hear that the Golden Crown in Beaverton closed after 35 years (the building long standing since the 1970's).  It was my favorite go-to place for American style Chinese food (I'll have the #7 with the Chicken Subgum Chow Mein, BBQ pork and Fried Shrimp, please).  Sushi, Korean BBQ and other forms of Asian Fusion are taking over the restaurant arena.

Chop Suey is a dish consisting of meat and eggs, cooked quickly with vegetables like bean sprouts, cabbage and celery in a broth thickened with cornstarch.  It's typically served with chow mein (stir fried noodles).

It is believed to have been invented in America by Chinese Americans.  Several tales differ in the exact origin.  Some stories say that it was invented in the 19th century by Chinese Americans working on the transcontinental railroad.  Another tale is that it was created for a Quing Dynasty Premier who was visiting the U.S. in 1899...by a chef who tried to create a meal suitable for both Chinese and American palates.  Another story is that this same Premier wandered around the streets in search of a late night snack and walked into a Chinese restaurant after the kitchen had closed.  The cook was so embarrassed that he had nothing to offer, he came up with a new dish using scraps of leftovers.

Yesterday was Chop Suey Day, so I thought I would find a recipe to celebrate this American Chinese cuisine classic.

Chop Suey

Ingredients:

2 cups cubed pork tenderloin or chicken

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 large onion, chopped

1 cup celery, sliced diagnoally

1 can bean sprouts

1 can water chesnuts

1 can bamboo shoots

8 oz fresh mushrooms sliced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons cornstarch

4 tablespoons water

4 oz. Canton noodles cooked according to directions

Directions:

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat and add the pork or chicken.  Cook. stirring until the meat begins to brown, about 10 minutes.  Remove from skillet and set aside.

Heat remaining oil in the same skillet and add the onion, celery and red pepper flakes.  Saute for about 2 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and continue to saute until the mushrooms release some of their liquid, about another 3 minutes.

Stir in the sprouts, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts and chicken broth.  Let it come to a simmer.  Add the meat back into the pan along with the soy sauce.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine cold water with the cornstarch.  Stir slurry into the skillet mixture.  Cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Add the noodles to the chop suey and stir until combined.  Once warmed through, serve in shallow bowls.

* You can add additional vegetables like peppers and carrots

* Subgum and Chop Suey recipes are literally the same thing, although it originates from Cantonese cuisine and subgum is often served on hard noodles.