American Chop Suey – Vegetarian

While walking down the aisle of a grocery shop, I happened to notice a packet of Crispy Chow Mein Noodles. It reminded me of the finger-licking Chopsueys we get at Indo-Chinese restaurants in India. I grabbed a packet of these crunchy, fried Chow Mein Noodles and decided to try a Vegetarian Chop Suey with all the veggies I had in my refrigerator. Since these noodles were fried, it was easy to prepare the Chopsuey. All I had to do was stir fry the vegetables and make a sauce for the noodles.

Ingredients

1. Crispy Chowmein Noodles – 1 packet (12 oz)  [Serves 4 to 5 people]
2. Thinly Sliced Onions – 1 large
3. Shredded Cabbage – 1 cup
4. Thinly sliced Carrots – 1 cup
5. Diagonally Sliced Beans – 1 cup
6. Thinly Sliced Bell Peppers (Capsicum) – 1 cup
7. Chopped Green Onions/Scallions – 1 bunch (I didn’t have these)
8. Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tbsp
9. White/Black Pepper – to taste
10. Salt – to taste
11. Oil – 3 tbsp
12. Water – 1 cup
13. Corn Starch – 2 tsp

For the Sauce

1. Dark Soy Sauce – 3 tbsp
2. Tomato Ketchup – 5 to 6 tbsp
3. Red Chilly Sauce – 2 tsp (Alter according to your spice tolerance)
4. Sugar – 1 tbsp (Alter according to you desired sweetness)
5. Water/Vegetable Stock – 1 cup
6. Vinegar – 2 tsp

Preparation Method

1. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wok on high heat. Throw in the sliced onions and saute for a minute.
2. Add the beans and saute on high heat for 2 minutes.
3. Next, add the carrots and bell peppers to the wok. Stir fry for around 3 minutes till the vegetables are almost cooked but crispy.
4. Throw in the shredded cabbage and stir fry for another minute or two. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Add the ginger garlic paste and stir it quickly.
6. Mix all the ingredients for the sauce and pour it into the wok. Saute for 2 minutes.
7. Mix 1 tbsp corn starch in a cup of water and add it to the pan.
8. Simmer the sauce for a few minutes so that it thickens.
9. Garnish with chopped spring onion greens or scallions.
10. Serve the vegetables and sauce over the crsipy, fried noodles.

Note

1. To prepare fried noodles at home, boil a packet of hakka noodles or any other preferred variety in lightly salted water until half cooked. Drain it thoroughly and use a paper towel to absorb remaining moisture.
2. In a deep pan, heat oil for deep frying. Add the noodles and deep fry until golden brown. Drain onto paper towels.