Sometimes, certain recipes take me back in time. Me and this recipe for chop suey with prawns go way back – around ten years, I think. I used to make it regularly back then, but it’s been a while now… which is perhaps why it was extra tasty. Of course, I’m not saying that you’re only supposed to make it once per decade ;-).
So I’ll take you on a trip down memory lane, OK? I was still a student when I first discovered this chop suey. I should point out that I wasn’t necessarily a typical student; I lived alone in an apartment rather than in shared student accommodation, and it was actually pretty clean and tidy (although not always!). I didn’t survive on ready meals and takeaways either. In fact, I only ever used my microwave to heat my Nutella sandwiches (don’t ask – it was a weird addiction! Just like the tubs of dark chocolate Callebaut sprinkles that I’d scoff when I got home from a tiring session of marketing classes...). Apart from that, I cooked my own dinner every evening and enjoyed experimenting with all kinds of recipes. Having said that, I did go to the pub around three times a week, suffered more hangovers than I would have liked and hence occasionally (regularly) missed the first class of the day. Just in case you’re wondering whether I was such a goody two shoes as it might seem based on the above, I wasn’t. I’ll spare you the details – perhaps save them for another time, or maybe they should stay between friends. You don’t need to know everything about me, of course!
Anyway, getting back to the chop suey, this recipe is a little different from the version I used to make but that makes it extra special... because for Love my Salad I started exploring wok cucumbers and I added some to this recipe. Wok cucumbers are firmer and less watery than cucumbers that are eaten cold, so they taste great in hot dishes. I thought they would work well in this chop suey – and I was right! Additionally, the recipe includes tiger prawns which I marinate in oyster sauce with some ginger and garlic. When you combine this with stir-fried onions, bell pepper, snow peas and of course the wok cucumber, you end up with a delicious meal which is not only easy to make, but also bursting with flavour.
Stefanie from the blog Little Spoon
Preparation
- Mix the prawns together with the oyster sauce, garlic and ginger. Stir well and then leave to marinate for approx. 30 minutes.
- Heat the sunflower oil and the sesame oil in the wok and soften the onions. After 5 minutes add the red pepper and the mangetouts. Stir-fry for a further 5 minutes and then add the pieces of wok cucumber. Fry over a medium heat until everything is heated through.
- In the meantime, heat a little sunflower oil in a pan and fry the marinated prawns. Once they turn pink, add them to the vegetables.
- Stir well, seasoning to taste with a little soy sauce if desired.
- Just before serving, garnish with some of the finely chopped spring onion.
Tips from the author
This chop suey is best served with rice! Brown rice is my personal favourite.