Looking for the right balance of healthy and delicious? Look no more because the easiest vegetable chopsuey recipe is here.
In a nutshell, this chopsuey recipe contains meat (aka protein) and vegetables (aka vitamins and minerals). This dish is so great that even those who used to hate vegetables will grow to love them.
But what makes this vegetable chopsuey recipe so delightful? What did we do to make this recipe extra special? Well, you have to read to find out.
What is Chopsuey?
Chopsuey is a hearty dish containing stir-fried vegetables mixed with meat like the oh-so-familiar chicken and pork. Take note, the key here is stir-frying not deep frying.
You might not want your vegetables and meat to become so crispy they look and taste like fried chicken.
Comparison aside, some vegetable chopsuey recipes give you the freedom to add more stuff. Gosh, don’t we love dishes that let us explore our creativity in the kitchen?
These stuff include shrimp, liver, and boiled quail eggs. So if you want to make your chopsuey recipe go over the top, we suggest you add them all.
Where Did Chopsuey Come From?
Ah, the great vegetable chopsuey.
There are a great many legends that go around about how the might dish first appeared. But according to urban legend and contrary to popular belief, chopsuey did not come from China.
Yes, you heard that right. This Chinese-sounding name did not even come from China.
So, where did chopsuey come from?
Oddly enough, chopsuey came from the Land of the Rising Sun: Japan.
Interestingly, chopsuey did not get introduced to the public until it reached the United States. Yet, the Japanese did not bring chopsuey to the US. The Chinese did, which explains why most people think that chopsuey has Chinese roots.
Legend also has it that chopsuey got invented because the maker wants to create something out of meat and vegetable leftovers. Thankfully, recipe heaven has blessed the chopsuey inventor with leftovers.
Imagine what the culinary world would look like without chopsuey. Ugh. We don’t even want to imagine it because we know it would look gloomy.
And if there’s one thing the culinary world has to be, it’s being bright and colorful.
Benefits of Chopsuey
Wondering what put the might in the mighty chopsuey recipe? We got one word for you: nutrients.
So, if you wanna know the benefits of a vegetable chopsuey recipe, expect that you’ll be bombed with health benefits.
For one, chopsuey has lots of iron, the substance that transports oxygen to your organs. If you eat a hefty serving of chopsuey a day, you might not even need to take iron supplements.
Next, chopsuey has complex carbs. Now, hold your carb-despising side. Not all carbs are bad. Only the simpletons are.
In a gist, complex carbs help make you feel full. They also help you lose weight, which to be honest, many of us want to do.
Lastly, chopsuey has a ton of magnesium. Well, not literally a ton, but you know what we mean. Magnesium helps regulate your heart rate and improves your muscles.
See Other Popular Pinoy Ulam Recipes
- Sinigang na Baboy Recipe: Pinoy’s Favorite
- Lechon Paksiw Recipe
- Champorado Recipe: Perfect For The Rainy Season
- Pork Menudo Recipe That Your Family Will Love
Chopsuey Recipe Tips
Before we go to our coveted vegetable chopsuey recipe, take a look at some tips that’ll come in handy:
1. Do not overcook your veggies!
Never, ever overcook your vegetables. When making chopsuey, your vegetables should be tender yet crisp.
Remember, no one wants soggy vegetables, especially if the dish relies on vegetable flavors. To avoid overcooking your vegetable, cook the ones that take the longest to soften first. Then, add those that cook faster.
2. Use your favorite vegetables.
Who said you only have to use the veggies on the list? Remember, recipes are just guidelines, not rules.
While you must follow the cooking instructions and tips, feel free to add any vegetables that you like. it doesn’t matter what you add, really, as long as it tastes great.
3. Cut up your ingredients to similar sizes.
A chopsuey recipe asks you to stir-fry stuff, so the ingredients must have the same sizes.
Okay, wait. This seems impossible, so you can just cut them as close to the same size as possible. After all, not everyone can cut stuff like iron chefs do.
Chopsuey Recipe
Course: Main
Cuisine: Filipino
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 12
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup sliced pork belly
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 cup water
- 1 cup sliced chicken
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 cup shrimps
- ¾ cup chopped cauliflower
- 2 sliced carrots
- 1 cup chopped broccoli
- ¾ cup sugar snap or snow peas
- 1 small bell pepper, chopped
- ½ can mushrooms
- 1 bunch pak choi, chopped
- 5 pieces young corn, cut
- 1 medium red onion – cut into 4
- salt and pepper as needed
- 1 medium garlic, chopped
Instructions:
- Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat.
- Put in the garlic, followed by the onion. Stir fry until cooked.
- Add the meat (chicken and pork, but you can also use liver and seafood)
- Toss the meat frequently until cooked.
- Pour the cornstarch mixture into the pan. Then, bring to a boil with the oyster sauce and pepper.
- Remove the shrimp from the pan.
- Then, add the first batch of vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and sugar snap peas.
- Cover the pan and cook the vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Next, add the remaining vegetables. Cover the pan and cook for two to three minutes more.
- Once the sauce thickens, add the shrimp back. Season with salt and pepper. Serve while hot.
Chopsuey Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup pork belly sliced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 cup water
- 1 cup chicken sliced
- ¼ teaspoon pepper ground
- 1 cup shrimps
- ¾ cup cauliflower chopped
- 2 carrots sliced
- 1 cup broccoli chopped
- ¾ cup sugar snap or snow peas
- 1 small bell pepper chopped
- ½ can mushrooms
- 1 bunch pak choi chopped
- 5 pieces young corn cut
- 1 medium red onion cut into 4
- salt and pepper as needed
- 1 medium garlic chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium heat.2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Put in the garlic, followed by the onion. Stir fry until cooked.2 cloves garlic, 1 medium red onion
- Add the meat (chicken and pork, but you can also use liver and seafood)1 cup pork belly, 1 cup chicken
- Toss the meat frequently until cooked.
- Pour the cornstarch mixture into the pan. Then, bring to a boil with the oyster sauce and pepper.4 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, ¼ teaspoon pepper
- Remove the shrimp from the pan.1 cup shrimps
- Then, add the first batch of vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and sugar snap peas.¾ cup cauliflower, 1 cup broccoli, ¾ cup sugar snap or snow peas, 2 carrots
- Cover the pan and cook the vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes.1 small bell pepper, ½ can mushrooms, 1 bunch pak choi, 5 pieces young corn, 1 medium garlic
- Next, add the remaining vegetables. Cover the pan and cook for two to three minutes more.
- Once the sauce thickens, add the shrimp back. Season with salt and pepper. Serve while hot.salt and pepper
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Chop suey typically contains meat and vegetables including chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, quail eggs, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, bell pepper, young corn, and pak choi. The dish also contains a thick sauce.
You make chopsoy by heating oil in a wok, stir-frying the meat, and tossing the vegetables. Adding oyster sauce, cornstarch, and water makes up the thick sauce.
Yes, chop suey is good for weight loss. Chop suey has lots of protein and vegetables, which make you feel full. The dish also gives your body the nutrients it needs to trim your weight.
Chop suey doesn’t have noodles or rice. However, chop suey is often served on top of rice. In some cases, you can eat chop suey without rice. The chop suey version with noodles is called chow mein.
Conclusion
Chopsuey gives you the best of both healthy and flavorful worlds. Eating the dish is a win-win situation for your palette and heart.
While chopsuey looks like a complex dish with thousands of ingredients, you can easily make it. Just follow the chopsuey recipe above and your dish should stand out on the table. It might even overpower Filipino favorites like chicken empanada and ensaymada.
So, print, bookmark, or save this vegetable chopsuey recipe to enjoy the best of both worlds. As a bonus, you can create a dish that’s as colorful as the rainbow. You know what they say about dishes resembling the rainbow.
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- About the Author
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Lysias (Lysh for short) is a Social Work graduate from the University of the Philippines Diliman. She has over seven years of experience in content marketing.
With a sweet tooth and thirst for mind-blowing content, she is the resident SEO content strategist for HICAPS. Lysias is also the founder of a digital marketing agency called Digifolia. When she’s not in front of the computer, Lysias bakes melt-in-your-mouth donuts and plays with her sweet, adorable dogs.
best recipe!