Chop Suey

Let me tell you beforehand that I kinda' "cheated" on this recipe - I used a pre-made mix for this. I just thought it would be quicker, and I have a penchant for semi-homemade. ;-)

The first time I made this dish, hubby almost had a heart attack because I bought everything fresh - including some quail eggs that we had to get from the Asian store. It cost a fortune, I tell you. As a new cook,  I was ingredient-happy. The result was Chop Suey that took us an eternity to finish. Imagine having a whole head of broccoli, cauliflower, pound of chicken, etc in a dish meant  just for two people! 

Now, after cooking it a bajillion times, I learned. Just a few of this and that would make a dish that would be enough for us, with a day's worth of leftovers. I also got smarter - using ingredients that we have on hand, instead of going to the store to buy everything. Oh, I have come a long way. :-) 


What you need: 

1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 can (14 oz) baby corn
8 oz portobello mushrooms
1 carrot, coined
1/2 pound chicken cutlets, cut into bite-size pieces
4 cloves garlic
1/4 Vidalia onion
1 cup water
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 pack Mama Sita Chop Suey mix


What to do: 

Dissolve Mama Sita mix in water. Stir well and set aside. 

Wash your mushrooms by putting under gently running water for a few seconds, then wiping with a paper towel. Remove the stems and slice lengthwise.

Prepare the baby corn by draining the water from the can and cutting the corn in half diagonally.

Heat cooking oil in a wok over medium-high. Saute the garlic and onion for about a minute, then add chicken. Cook, stirring constantly until meat is browned. Add the vegetables and continue cooking for about 2 minutes.

Pour in the dissolved mix and bring to a boil. The lower the heat to medium and cook until vegetables are fork-tender.


Tips, Tricks and Tweaks: 

1. Try a variety of veggies - use green or red bell peppers, bean sprouts, asparagus, etc.
2. Instead of chicken, you can use pork, shrimp, or beef!
3. Add quail eggs or regular hard boiled eggs.
4. Of course, you can always cook it the traditional way. :-)