Vegan Fijian Chop Suey, a vegan take on Fijian-style chop suey. Crispy tofu and stir-fried vegetables in a rich umami sauce. Quick and easy to make. Serve with rice or noodles for a perfect midweek meal.
Serving Vegan Fijian Chop Suey
Vegan Chop Suey is a quick tasty meal to have midweek served with rice or noodles. Stir-fried vegetables in an easy sauce with crispy air-fried tofu. It comes together in no time and you can add whatever vegetables you want to it.
Chop Suey has variations in many countries around the world. A Fijian Chop Suey is packed with vegetables and has fresh ginger and chillies added.
How To Cook Vegan Chop Suey
Prepare the Tofu: When it comes to tofu, achieving the perfect texture is crucial for a delightful Vegan Chop Suey. Depending on the brand of tofu you have, you may need to press it to attain the best texture. While some brands offer pre-pressed tofu, ready for immediate use, others require pressing to eliminate excess moisture. This step not only ensures a firmer texture but also enhances the absorption of flavours.
To press tofu, gently press it between your hands over a sink or place it between two plates with something heavy on top for about 10 minutes. This process aids in removing excess moisture, resulting in tofu that’s better suited for absorbing the delicious flavours of the sauce.
Cut into bite-sized cubes place into a bowl then cover with the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and vegetable oil. Carefully mix then sprinkle over the white pepper and the cornflour and gently toss to evenly coat.
Cooking the Tofu: When it comes to cooking crispy tofu, using an air fryer produces the quickest results. However, if you don’t have an air fryer on hand, fret not! You can achieve equally delicious results by cooking the tofu in an oven.
If you are using an air fryer preheat it to 180°C (360°F) then spread the tofu in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Air fry the tofu until crispy all over, around 10 minutes. Shake the basket after 5 minutes.
If you are using an oven preheat it to 180°C (360°F) then spread the tofu on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes until crispy all over, turning halfway.
This method ensures that your tofu achieves a delightful crispiness that will absorb the delicious flavours of the Chop Suey sauce.
Prepare Your Ingredients: When stir-frying, make sure to have all your ingredients prepared before you start cooking. Slice the onion, chilli, and carrot, mince the garlic and ginger, cut the bell peppers into chunks and cut the pak choi into bite-sized chunks, separating the white crunchy parts from the green leaves.
Also, mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl.
Heat the Pan or Wok: Place a large pan or wok over high heat and add a small amount of vegetable oil. Allow the oil to heat until it shimmers, indicating it’s ready for cooking.
Sauté the Aromatics: Add minced garlic, ginger, and sliced onions to the hot oil. Sauté until they become fragrant and translucent. These aromatics form the flavorful base of your Vegan Chop Suey.
Stir-fry the Vegetables: Next, add your prepared vegetables to the pan. Start with the carrot, bell peppers, chilli and the white parts of the pak choi. For the best Chop Suey Stir-fry the vegetables until they are tender-crisp, retaining their vibrant colours and crunchy texture. Reduce the heat to medium then add the green parts of the pak choi with the Shaoxing wine. The Shaoxing wine will enhance the flavour and help deglaze the pan or wok.
Combine and Simmer: Pour the sauce over the contents of the pan. Stir everything together to coat evenly, allowing the sauce to simmer and thicken slightly. Add the cooked tofu and a crack of black pepper then turn off the heat.
Serve and Enjoy: Finally, serve your Vegan Chop Suey hot, over rice or noodles. Garnish with chopped spring onions, fresh coriander (cilantro), and any other desired toppings for added flavour and freshness. Enjoy your delicious and nutritious plant-based meal!
Cooking Tips
Customise Your Veggies: Don’t hesitate to mix and match vegetables based on what you have on hand or what’s in season. Fijian Chop Suey is veg heavy so try adding snow peas, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, or water chestnuts for additional texture and flavour.
Prep Ahead: As with most stir-fries that are cooked over high heat it’s important to have all the ingredients prepared before starting to cook your Chop Suey. Cut or measure out all the ingredients and mix the sauce in a bowl.
Enhance the Sauce: Experiment with the sauce ingredients to tailor the flavour to your liking. For a tangier sauce, add some rice vinegar or Shaoxing wine. If you prefer a sweeter Vegan Chop Suey sauce, add some maple syrup or sugar.
Spice it Up: If you love heat, customise the spice level of your vegan chop suey by adding more sliced chilli peppers or a drizzle of chilli oil to the dish. Adjust the amount according to your preference, and don’t forget to remove the seeds for a milder heat.
Choose the Best Oil: Use a high smoke point cooking oil such as rapeseed(canola) sunflower or peanut.
Shaoxing Wine: is a rice wine that’s used extensively in Chinese cuisine. It adds a complex richness to dishes, similar to using white wine in Western cuisines. Asian supermarkets usually stock more than one variety. Larger supermarkets can also stock a small range. One thing to watch out for is salt level. Shaoxing wine sometimes has added salt. If your wine has salt consider adding less soy sauce to your Fijian Chop Suey.
Vegan Fijian Chop Suey
Ingredients
Crispy Tofu
- 300 g extra-firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine optional
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornflour
Vegetables
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 red onion cut into chunks
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 30 g ginger minced
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine optional
- 1 red chilli thinly sliced
- 1 medium carrot thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper cut into chunks
- 1 red bell pepper cut into chunks
- 200 g pak choi bok choi
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegan oyster sauce
- 6 tablespoons cold water
- ¼ teaspoon msg optional
- 1 tablespoon cornflour cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
Crispy Tofu
- Preheat an air fryer or oven to 180°C (360°F).
- Drain the tofu and gently press it to remove any excess water.
- Cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces then place it in a bowl. Pour over the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and vegetable oil. Carefully mix to evenly coat the tofu in the liquids.
- Sprinkle over the white pepper and the cornflour and mix to evenly coat.
- If using an air fryer spread the tofu in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Air fry the tofu until crispy all over, around 10 minutes. Shake the basket after 5 minutes.
- If using an oven spread the tofu on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes until crispy all over, turning halfway.
Vegan Fijian Chop Suey
- Before starting to cook make sure all the ingredients are prepared. In a small bowl mix all the ingredients for the sauce. Cut the pak choi into bite-sized chunks, separating the white crunchy parts from the green leaves.
- Heat a wok or large pan over high heat. Once hot add the oil then quickly add the red onion, minced garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for 30 seconds then add the red chilli, carrot, bell peppers and the white parts of the pak choi. Stir-fry for a further 1 minute.
- Add the Shaoxing wine and the green parts of the pak choi. Continue to stir fry for 1 minute.
- Mix the sauce to make sure the cornflour hasn't gathered on the bottom. Add to the pan and reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook until the sauce has thickened, around 1 minute.
- Turn off the heat and add the crispy tofu and season with freshly cracked black pepper.
- Serve your Vegan Fijian Chop Suey with rice or noodles.
