There are many stories of the origin of the humble chop suey. One account claims it was invented by a Chinese American working on the Transcontinental Railroad in the 19th century. Created wherever and by whoever, you’ll most likely find this dish on EVERY Chinese restaurant menu. The pinch of pepper is essential as it totally changes the flavour of the dish.
1 tbsp groundnut oil
200g (7oz) Chinese Roast BBQ Pork
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 handfuls of beansprouts
1 small carrot, sliced into slivers
a pinch of salt
a pinch of granulated sugar
60ml (¼ cup) water
2 spring onions (scallions), halved and sliced into slivers
½ tbsp dark soy sauce
a pinch of white pepper
1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with 2 tbsp water
1 tsp sesame oil
Heat the oil in a non-stick wok and fry the pork for 2 minutes. Add the onion and stir-fry for a further minute, then add the beansprouts, carrot, salt, sugar and water and bring to the boil. Now add the spring onions, soy sauce and white pepper and mix thoroughly – ensure the heat is high. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. Pour in just enough of the cornflour mixture to thicken the sauce, stirring the ingredients the entire time. Remove from the heat, stir in the sesame oil and serve straightaway.