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CHOP SUEY VS CHOW MEIN: ARE THEY THE SAME?

Chinese people have spread all over the world for hundreds of years. And so is their incredibly delicious cuisine. Including the chop suey and the chow mein.

But a lot of people tend to get confused with this two so in this article, you'll be getting to know them so just keep reading and here is the Chop Suey VS Chow Mein: What’s the Difference

More...

Chop Suey Vs Chow Mein: Are They The Same?
WHAT IS CHOP SUEY?
VARIATIONS OF CHOP SUEY
FILIPINO CUISINE
AMERICAN CUISINE
WHAT IS CHOW MEIN?
VARIATIONS OF CHOW MEIN
AUSTRALIAN CHINESE CUISINE
PERUVIAN CHINESE CUISINE
NEPALESE CHINESE CUISINE
INDIAN CHINESE CUISINE
AMERICAN CHINESE CUISINE
RECIPE FOR CHOP SUEY
RECIPE FOR CHOW MEIN
CONCLUSION

WHAT IS CHOP SUEY?

Chop Suey Recipe - Chicken Chop Suey Via thewolfepit

  • It is basically Chinese dish that literally means “assorted pieces”
  • It consists of any meat like chicken, beef, pork or seafood. It also has eggs and vegetables like cabbage, celery and bean sprouts that are sautéed in the starch-thickened sauce
  • It cannot just be found in a China but also is very known in the United States, Philippines, Canada, Germany and India. They all have their different versions of chop suey
  • However, it is said to be invented in the US and not in China. It was apparently invented by Chinese immigrants in the US in the 1890s.
  • There is also a story that chop suey was actually created during the Qing Dynasty when Li Hongzhang went to the US and his chef attempted to make a dish suitable for Chinese and Americans that led to this dish.

VARIATIONS OF CHOP SUEY

FILIPINO CUISINE

Philippine cuisine Via wikipedia

Chop Suey is a very famous dish in the Philippines. It is widely known to have mixed vegetables like carrots, cabbage, peas, cauliflower and etc.

A type of meat like pork, chicken, beef and even pork liver is added to it. It is often served with white rice.

AMERICAN CUISINE

American Cuisine Via foodgroove

Unlike the Filipino version of chop suey, the American version is a little bit different since it actually has pasta on it. It consists of elbow macaroni with ground beef that is sautéed in onions and green peppers together with thick tomato sauce that looks a lot like chili Mac.

It is often cook in a pan over stove top or being baked in the oven. It is served on a bowl with a bread and Worcestershire sauce but It is rather like a mix of Italian and American cuisine instead of Chinese and American.

WHAT IS CHOW MEIN?

EASY CHICKEN CHOW MEIN RICKE Via seonkyounglongest

Many people tend to think that chow mein is actually the same as chop seuy. But the truth is, the word chow actually means fried and the word mein means noodles.

Chow mein is popular in India, Nepal, England and United States.

VARIATIONS OF CHOW MEIN

AUSTRALIAN CHINESE CUISINE

The traditional chow mein has noodles from eggs and they will stir fry it until the noodles are crispy enough. It is combined with seafood or barbecue pork.

Their sauce has garlic, red wine, salt and corn flour. There are no specific vegetables for this, any type of greens will do.

PERUVIAN CHINESE CUISINE

Chinese Cuisine and Culture in Peru Via lan

This Chinese dish from Peru is quite different from the others since it has peppers, onions, green onions and tomatoes on it.

NEPALESE CHINESE CUISINE

NEPAL HIMALAYAN CUISINE Via foodeverywhere

What is so unique about the Nepalese version of chow mein is that they use water buffalo meat from the Kathmandu Valley.

Although, they also use chicken, they use the water buffalo more and mix it with vegetables and fried noodles.

INDIAN CHINESE CUISINE

Indian-Chinese Cuisine Via newyork.seriouseats

Another version is the one from India where they add gravy on their chow mein. It also has mixed vegetables and noodles but some add chili garlic or hot garlic on it.

AMERICAN CHINESE CUISINE

American Chinese Food Via huffingtonpost

The American version is just like the typical chow mein but they offer to kinds of noodles which are crispy and steamed.

The crispy chow mein are flat and fried whereas the steamed chow mein are long and rounded. And since this is American, they also made a hamburger style chow mein.

RECIPE FOR CHOP SUEY

INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

Chicken & Marinade

12 oz Chicken thighs pieces

Chicken Thigh Recipes Via allrecipes

1 tsp Shaoxing Chinese Wine

Shaoxing Rice Wine: Where and How to Buy It Via vietworldkitchen

2 tsp Oyster sauce

Oyster Sauce Via cooksillustrated

2 tsp Corn Starch

Corn starch Via birkamidon

Vegetables & Sauce

2 TBS Vegetable oil

Vegetable Oil Via wessonoil

2 tsp Garlic

What Is Garlic Good For? Via foodfacts.mercola

1 Celery Stalk

Celery Stalk Via theeasymarket

Bok Choy Stalks

White Stem Bok Choy Via ufseeds

1/2 Bell Pepper

Red bell peppers Via healthnewsng

3 Green Onions

The many health benefits of green onions Via stepin2mygreenworld

6 - Snow Peas

Snow Peas Via harvesttotable

6 - Mushrooms

Health benefits of mushrooms Via medicalnewstoday

1/4 Cup - Carrots

Benefits Of Carrots Via organicfacts

1/2 tsp - Salt

Salt Via wikipedia

1/2 tsp - White Pepper

Benefits Of White Pepper For Health Via stylecraze

1 Cup - Chicken broth

Chicken Broth Via fodmapliving

2 TBS - Oyster Sauce

Oyster Sauce Via cooksillustrated

1 TBS Cornstarch and 1 TBS Water (mixed together)

Cornstarch and water mixture Via commons.wikimedia

Directions

  • STep 1
  • Step 2
  • Step 3
  • STEP 4
  • STEP 5
  • STEP 6
  • STEP 7

Firstly you have to combine chicken, wine, oyster sauce and cornstarch together and let it sit and marinade for about 15 minutes.

Mix chicken, wine, oyster sauce and cornstarch Via chefkatiechin

Once 15 minutes is over you may now add the vegetable oil to a large skillet or wok over medium high heat

Then add the chicken, garlic and stir fry the chicken for about a minute

Add the chicken, garlic Via chefkatiechin

After that you can now add the white portion of the bok choy and green onions, bell pepper, snow peas, mushrooms and carrots and stir fry for 2 minutes

Add the remaining ingredients except for cornstarch slurry and bring to a light for boil

The add some cornstarch slurry, stir until thickened

Serve with steamed rice or chow mein

How to Make the BEST Chicken Chop Suey - Chinese Food Recipe Via TheWolfePit

RECIPE FOR CHOW MEIN

INGREDIENTS

For Marinate Chicken

1 (1/2 lb.) Boneless, skinless chicken breast

Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts Via aldi

1 tsp. Soy sauce

Soy Sauce Via cooksillustrated

1 Tbs.Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine), sake or dry sherry wine

Shaoxing Rice Wine: Where and How to Buy It Via vietworldkitchen

½ tsp. Chinese five spice

Chinese Five-Spice Via food

½ tsp. Baking soda

33 Surprising Baking Soda Uses & Remedies Via draxe

Pinch of black pepper

6 Amazing Black Pepper Benefits Via food.ndtv

For the Sauce

3 Tbs.Oyster sauce

Oyster Sauce Via cooksillustrated

½ cup Chicken stock

THE BEST HOMEMADE CHICKEN STOCK RECIPE Via elizabethrider

3 Cloves garlic (approximately 1 Tbs.)

What Is Garlic Good For? Via foodfacts.mercola

1 oz. Fresh ginger (approximately ½ Tbs.)

Fresh Ginger Via asiantraders

1 Red chili

Red chili Via medicalnewstoday

For the Vegetables & Noodles

10 oz. Precooked & ready to use Chinese egg noodles

The Chinese Egg Noodle Via seriouseats

2 oz. Shiitake or button mushrooms

White (Button) Mushrooms Via drgourmet

4 oz. Bamboo shoot

What are Bamboo Shoots? Via gardeningknowhow

4 oz. Baby bok choy

Baby Bok Choy Via crossfitrebellion

3 Green onions

The many health benefits of green onions Via stepin2mygreenworld

4 oz. Bean sporouts

Bean sporouts Via foodqualitynews

For Garnish

1 tsp. Toasted sesame oil

Toasted Sesame Oil Via iherb

1 tsp. Toasted sesame seeds

Toasted Sesame Seeds Via cookstr

For Stri Fry

3 Tbs. Cooking oil

Healthy Cooking Oil Via smartbalance

Procedure

  • STep 1
  • Step 2
  • Step 3
  • STEP 4
  • STEP 5
  • STEP 6
  • STEP 7
  • STEP 8
  • STEP 9
  • STEP 10
  • STEP 11

Firstly you should slice chicken the breast into bite sizes by using a sharp knive.

Slice chicken the breast into bite sizes Via seriouseats

And then, mixing bowl, you may add the chicken and rest of ingredients for marinade and mix well until chicken is evenly coated and then set it aside.

In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk it and chop the garlic and ginger finely

Next is by slicing the mushroom and bamboo shoot into ¼ inch

Once that's done you may now cut the top end and root of green onions then cut it in halves lengthwise and then cut into 2 inches long pieces. You may set aside with bean sprouts.

Now you can heat up the wok over hight heat and add 1 Tbs. oil and the chicken. Spread th chicken pieces so they will cook up evenly then stir fry the chicken until their edges are nicely golden brown and about ¾ way cooked, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Then turn off the heat and remove the chicken from the wok and place it on a plate

Next is you should heat up the now-empty-wok over high heat and add 2 Tbs. oil and aromatic vegetables (garlic, ginger and chili) then just stir fry them until you can smell all the beautiful aromas for about about 30 to 45 second.

Then add the mushrooms, bamboo shot and baby bok choy and stir fry them as well until vegetables are soft enough.

You may now add noodles and the sauce and stir fry it until the noodles are fully cooked and you can’t see any sauce running in the wok.

Now add the chicken back into the wok along with green onions and bean sprouts and again stir fry it for about 30 second to 1 minute, or until last 3 ingredients are warmed up.

And finally, pour it into a nice plate and drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve

Asian at Home | Easy Chicken Chow Mein Via Seonkyoung Longest

CONCLUSION

Let's summarize the differences of chop suey and chow mein shall we? Chop suey is paired with rice and has a little bit of sauce on it while chow mein can have different noodles on it. Ther ar more varieties of chow mein than chop suey.

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About Lita Watson

Lita Watson is a home mom blogger who loves dogs and flowers. I have one daughter and one son, both of whom she adores. I started my blog Quick Easy Cook to share recipes that are quick and easy for moms like herself.

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