Yield: 2 Servings

Adapted from Wei’s Red House Kitchen

People from China might have no idea what chop suey is, but it’s no doubt one of the most popular dishes in Chinese restaurants/takeaways (takeout) outside China. Believed to be an invention by Chinese immigrants in the US, it’s a quick stir-fry dish consisting of a protein ingredient, such as chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, egg, etc., a variety of vegetables and a soy sauce-based thick sauce.

For the chicken

• 1chicken breast, about 6-8-oz
• ½TBS cornstarch
• 1TBS water
• 1drop cooking oil

For the sauce

• 1TBS light soy sauce
• ½TBS dark soy sauce
• 2TBS oyster sauce
• ½tsp sesame oil
• 1TBS cornstarch
• 1pinch salt
• ¼tsp ground white pepper
• 4TBS water

For the vegetables

• ½onion, sliced
• 2cloves garlic, sliced
• 1small carrot, thinly sliced
• 1handful snow peas, strings removed
• 3baby corn, diagonally sliced
• 3button mushrooms, sliced
• 1handful mung bean sprouts
• 1½TBS neutral cooking oil, divided

Marinate the chicken: Cut chicken breast crosswise into thin slices (about ¼-inch). Put into a bowl. Add corn starch and water. Stir well to evenly coat the chicken. Then add a drop of oil and mix well. Set aside for 20-30 minutes.

Mix the sauce: In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.

Cook the chicken: Heat up a wok over high heat until it smokes. Pour in 1 TBS of oil. Slide in the chicken. Remove it out as soon as it loses the pinkness (Do not overcook). Set aside.

Combine the dish: Pour the remaining ½ TBS of oil into the wok. First, stir-fry onion and garlic over high heat until fragrant.

Add carrot and fry for 15 seconds or so. Then add snow peas and baby corn. Stir-fry for another 20 seconds.

Put the chicken back into the wok, along with mushrooms and mung bean sprouts. Cook for 30 seconds.

Give the sauce a good stir (in case the starch sits at the bottom) then pour over. Mix well.

As soon as you see the liquid thickening, transfer everything to a serving dish. Enjoy immediately with plain rice or as a topping for noodles.