American Chop Suey is a popular Indo-Chinese dish served in many Indian restaurants. It brings together crispy fried noodles and a thick, sweet-and-sour vegetable sauce. The contrast between crunchy noodles and soft vegetables makes every bite interesting.
This vegetarian version uses cabbage, carrots, capsicum, and spring onions cooked in a tangy tomato-based sauce. A little soy sauce, vinegar and chilli sauce give it the familiar restaurant-style flavor. You can prepare it at home for lunch, dinner or a weekend meal.
Ingredients Required
To prepare American chop suey for 3–4 people, you will need 200 grams of Hakka noodles, 1 medium onion, half a cup of shredded cabbage, half a cup of sliced carrots, half a cup of chopped capsicum, ¼ cup of chopped spring onions and 2 tablespoons of chopped garlic.
For the sauce, keep 3 tablespoons of tomato ketchup, 1 tablespoon of red chili sauce, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of cornflour, 1 teaspoon of sugar, half a teaspoon of black pepper powder and salt as required.
Preparation and Cooking Time
The preparation takes around 15 minutes, while cooking requires approximately 25 minutes. The total time is about 40 minutes. This recipe serves 3–4 people.
How to Make American Chop Suey
Begin by boiling water in a large pot.
Now prepare the vegetable sauce. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a wok or deep frying pan. Add the chopped garlic and onion. Stir for a minute until the garlic releases its aroma. Add the carrots, cabbage, and capsicum. Cook over medium-high heat for two to three minutes. The vegetables should soften slightly but retain some crunch.
Add tomato ketchup, red chili sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and black pepper. Mix everything well. Pour in around one and a half cups of water and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
In a separate bowl, mix cornflour with three tablespoons of cold water. Stir until there are no lumps. Add salt after tasting the sauce because soy sauce already contains salt.
Turn off the heat and add the chopped spring onions. Place the crispy noodles on serving plates and pour the hot vegetable sauce over them. Serve immediately so the noodles retain some of their crunch.
Tips for Restaurant-Style American Chop Suey
Dry the boiled noodles properly before frying them. Wet noodles can cause oil to sputter and may not turn crisp. Fry them in small batches rather than adding everything to the pan at once.
Keep the vegetables slightly crunchy.just the ketchup, chilli sauce and vinegar according to your taste. If you prefer a sweeter flavor, add a little extra ketchup. For more heat, increase the chilli sauce.
Serving Suggestions
American Chop Suey tastes best when served immediately after assembling. You can garnish it with chopped spring onions or a few pieces of fried noodles. It pairs well with chilli paneer, vegetable Manchurian and chilli mushroom.
For a family meal, serve it in a large bowl and keep extra crispy noodles on the side. This allows everyone to add more noodles according to their preference.
A Personal Touch
I prefer adding extra capsicum and cabbage because they give the sauce a little crunch. A small amount of chilli sauce balances the sweetness of the ketchup. If you enjoy restaurant-style food, serve the gravy separately and pour it over the fried noodles just before eating.
Additional Information
American Chop Suey is best assembled fresh. You can boil and fry the noodles ahead of time, then store them in an airtight container once they have cooled completely. Prepare the vegetable sauce separately and refrigerate it. Reheat the sauce in a pan before serving, adding a little water if it becomes too thick.
This vegetarian recipe can also be adjusted with mushrooms, baby corn, beans or paneer. For a lighter version, use boiled noodles and pan-crisp them with a little oil instead of deep-frying. The sauce can be made less spicy by reducing the chilli sauce.
About the Author
