

It has been modified to chop suey but there is no dish called tsa sui in China. One common belief shared by many people is that chop suey was created by a Chinese-American tsa sui which means broken pieces in Mandarin. Meanwhile, chop suey is already more of an American-Chinese invention. However, it shall be noted that its variations you see in Chinese takeouts have already been altered to suit the Western palate. One of their main differences is that chow mein is considered more authentic as opposed to chop suey, because its history can be traced back to China itself. To truly understand these dishes, it’s best to look at their histories. Now, onto the differences between chow mein and chop suey. What’s the difference between chow mein and chop suey? Chow mein

The sauce of chop suey also has a relatively thicker consistency. For this very reason, the chop suey sauce is very savory.
#SOOEY SAUCE PLUS#
The sauce is basically broth, cornstarch, plus oyster and soy sauce. Just do not forget the savory and sweet sauce-the basis for what makes this a truly traditional Chinese dish as opposed to just sauteed vegetables and meat.įun fact: Straw mushrooms also go really well in chop suey.
#SOOEY SAUCE FREE#
However, feel free to use whatever vegetable you already have at hand. Most common vegetables thrown in the delightful mix consist of bean sprouts and celery. In fact, it is considered a vegetable dish. The main similarity between chop suey and chow mein is that they’re both stir-fried, only except chop suey does not come with noodles.Ĭhop suey is a dish that consists of meat, vegetables, or seafood as well as a savory sauce, with vegetables being the dominant ingredient. If you are totally unfamiliar with this dish and you’re from China, then that might have been really because chop suey is not a traditional Chinese dish.Ĭhop suey is part of the popular American-Chinese cuisine. Next, let’s talk about our second Chinese dish for the day: chop suey. Corn starch is a safe one to use if you want to thicken chow mein gravy.įor a wheat-free Chow Mein, use rice noodles instead of wheat noodles. Is any Chinese food gluten free?ĭishes made with rice noodles may be gluten-free, as long as wheat flour isn’t the thickener. I’ll be discussing its preparation more thoroughly in the coming sections. Chow mein, being a traditional Chinese dish, have also been altered in terms of preparation to suit Western tastes, as well. My top favorite veggies to throw in the mix would definitely be carrots and bean sprouts. Celery and onion go in as part of the recipe. Simply put, Chow Mein is your typical stir-fried wheat noodle Chinese dish.Īlong with noodles, chicken, beef, pork or shrimp are the most popular add-ins, but tofu and just veggies are popular too. Chow mein is basically in the all-star league of noodles, along with popular noodle dishes such as pad thai, japchae or mi goreng. 5 What’s the difference between chow mein and chop suey?įor those of you who may be unfamiliar with chow mein, let me give you a crash course.
