Chop Suey
Chop Suey (Gulay na May Sarsa)
Learn Filipino chop suey with shrimp, chicken, boiled quail eggs, cabbage, broccoli, and colorful vegetables in a light oyster-sauce glaze.
Serves 6 · 55m total
The Story
Filipino chop suey is the handaan ulam that proves a party spread needs something green besides lumpia and pancit. It is not delicate—it is a wok full of color: shrimp and chicken, cabbage tucked under broccoli and cauliflower, baby corn, mushrooms, celery, strips of bell pepper, and a ring of boiled quail eggs—whole ones mixed in, two halved in the center so the yolks show.
The photo is the goal: vegetables still bright, proteins just cooked through, sauce a light glaze that coats everything without drowning the bowl. Home cooks blanch the hard vegetables first so the final stir-fry stays fast—high heat, short time, everything still looks fresh on the table.
Best paired with
Steamed rice, pancit canton, lumpiang Shanghai, and extra oyster sauce on the side for guests who like it bolder
Use it in these KusinaPH recipes
Pancit CantonLumpiang ShanghaiChicken AfritadaGinataang Kalabasa at Sitaw
Lola's Tips
- ✦Dry shrimp is non-negotiable—wet shrimp steam and shrink instead of staying plump and pink.
- ✦Blanch hard vegetables first; the final stir-fry should take minutes, not a long simmer that dulls color.
- ✦Cook chicken and shrimp separately, then add back at the end so proteins do not overcook while vegetables catch up.
- ✦High heat + small batches = crisp-tender veg. If the pan looks watery, the heat is too low or the wok is overcrowded.
- ✦Add bell peppers and snow peas last—they should stay bright red and green on the plate.
- ✦Thicken with a light cornstarch slurry only after the sauce is boiling—stop when it glazes the veg, not when it pools like gravy.
- ✦Halve two quail eggs and place them in the center with cilantro on top—the yolks should show, like the photo.
- ✦A sprig of cilantro on top is more than garnish—it tells guests the dish is fresh off the wok.
- ✦Taste the gravy before thickening—it should read savory-sweet from oyster sauce; adjust with a splash of broth if too salty.
Substitutions
- chicken and shrimp → pork strips, squid, or tofu for a single-protein version
- baby corn → extra carrot or sayote strips
- broccoli and cauliflower → all broccoli or all cauliflower
- quail eggs → 2 chicken eggs, hard-boiled and quartered
Ingredients
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Instructions
- 1
Prep all vegetables before you turn on the heat—chop suey moves fast once the wok is hot. Boil quail eggs 4 minutes, cool in ice water, peel, and set aside (halve 2 for the center garnish). Pat shrimp completely dry; season chicken lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- 2
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and baby corn together 90 seconds. Drain and shock in cold water 30 seconds; drain well. This keeps the colors vivid like the photo.
- 3
Heat oil in a wok or wide pan over high heat until shimmering. Stir-fry chicken until just cooked through; remove to a plate.
- 4
In the same wok, add a little more oil if needed. Stir-fry shrimp 1–2 minutes until pink and curled; remove with the chicken.
- 5
Lower heat slightly. Sauté garlic and onion wedges until fragrant. Add mushrooms and celery; stir-fry 1 minute.
- 6
Add cabbage, blanched broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, and baby corn. Pour in broth and dissolve the chicken cube if using. Stir in oyster sauce and soy sauce. Simmer 2 minutes.
- 7
Add bell peppers, snow peas, chicken, shrimp, and whole quail eggs. Toss 1–2 minutes—shrimp should stay plump, not rubbery.
- 8
Stir cornstarch slurry into the bubbling sauce. Cook until the sauce turns glossy and lightly coats the vegetables—thin enough to see color through, not a heavy pool. Season with pepper. Off heat, drizzle sesame oil if using. Halve 2 quail eggs and set in the center; garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.
Kitchen Timer · 35 min prep first
20:00
