Preparation to make American chopsuey sauce
22. Shred or finely chop the veggies. Use a food processor or a knife to chop the vegetables.
- You will need the following veggies:
- ½ cup shredded cabbage
- ½ cup shredded carrot
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced capsicum
- ¼ cup chopped spring onions
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped ginger
- ½ teaspoon finely chopped garlic
23. Put three tablespoons of tomato ketchup, one tablespoon of naturally fermented soy sauce, and half a tablespoon of either sweet red chili sauce or sriracha sauce in a small bowl.
24. Using a spoon, thoroughly stir and blend all three sauces.
25. Place two tablespoons of corn flour (corn starch) and two tablespoons of water in a separate small bowl.
26. Mix very well.
How to make American Chopsuey
- In a saucepan or pot, bring some water and salt to a boil. Bring it to a boil and add noodles. Cook it according to package instructions or until al dente. If you follow the directions on the package, cut the cooking time by 60 seconds. This will allow you to check the noodles’ doneness before it’s too late. I cooked them for 2 minutes in boiling water.
2. After draining, place the noodles on a kitchen towel and let them air dry so that any remaining moisture can either evaporate or be absorbed. After the noodles are dry, dust them with corn flour and reserve. In a pan with heated oil, deep-fry the noodles until they turn golden brown. Take out of the oil and place on a plate covered in tissue.
3. In a wok or kadai, add a tablespoon of oil and sauté the garlic and ginger over high heat until fragrant. Add onions and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add cabbage, bell peppers, carrot and beans. Saute on high for 2-3 minutes while stirring continuously.
4. Combine ketchup, sugar, soy sauce, red chili sauce or sriracha, and salt and pepper.
5. Add two to three tablespoons of water and corn flour to the wok. Stir to combine and ensure there are no lumps.
6. Add 1 ½ cups of water and mix to combine. Once the sauce reaches a boiling point, lower the heat to a simmer.
7. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until desired thickness is achieved. To get the consistency that you want, you can add more water.
8. Serve the gravy hot over fried noodles!
Chinese stir fries cook quickly, so make sure all the vegetables are prepared and ready to go!
Chopping: To keep the vegetables crisp and from becoming too soggy too quickly, cut them into thick juliennes or strips (as shown).
Lime juice: Added towards the very end to preserve its freshness, this component of the sauce is crucial because its tanginess effectively counterbalances the other flavors.
Serving: To prevent the noodles from getting soggy, serve the gravy over the crispy noodles right away. You can provide individual gravy bowls so that each diner can pour their own.
Air Fryer Noodles: Since the noodles were the only “unhealthy” component of this dish, we experimented with both air and deep cooking them. And honestly, we couldn’t tell the difference. See the recipe notes below for the deep-frying technique for noodles.
How to make American Chop Suey
A) boiling noodles for chopsuey
1. In a sauce pan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Add ½ teaspoon salt.
3. Also add ¼ teaspoon oil to the water.
4. Let the water come to a rolling boil.
5. Then lower the heat and add 150 grams of noodles. You can use all-purpose flour noodles, instant noodles, whole wheat noodles, or hakka noodles. Press the noodles in the boiling water with a fork or spoon.
6. Noodles should be cooked over medium heat until they are al dente.
7. A few strands of noodles should have a slight bite when you check and taste them. They should not be completely cooked.
8. Strain the noodles in a colander.
9. Then rinse the cooked noodles very well with fresh water. Use a spoon or fork to stir when rinsing noodles.
10. When the noodles are warm or cool, rinse them with fresh water using your hands and a gentle stir. Drain all the water very well.
11. Remove the noodles in a large plate or tray. Spread them evenly. Let noodles cool at room temperature for 1. 5 to 2 hours. Later after 1. After 1.5 to 2 hours, you can start deep-frying them.
12. Before frying add 2. 5 tablespoons corn flour (corn starch) on the noodles.
13. Stir thoroughly to ensure that the noodles are well-coated with corn flour (corn starch). You can use a pasta or noodle tong to mix. Using your hands causes the corn flour to stick to your fingertips.
