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Sapasui
Samoan chop suey with vermicelli, chicken, soy and ginger
Sapasui, Samoan chop suey, came to Samoa with Chinese workers in the early 1900s and is now served at every Samoan celebration, from to'ona'i Sunday lunch to weddings and funerals in Apia and Auckland. Glass vermicelli noodles soak up a soy, garlic and ginger broth with tender chicken and a few vegetables; it is salty, savoury and always served with rice. A common mistake is overcooking the soaked noodles until they clump; add them at the end and toss gently. Chef's tip: cut the soaked noodles with scissors into shorter lengths so they're easier to mix and serve.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb boneless chicken thighssliced
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onionsliced
- 4 cloves garliccrushed
- 2 tbsp fresh gingergrated
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2 cups chicken stock or water
- 1 carrotcut into strips
- 7 oz Chinese cabbageshredded
- ½ tsp black pepper
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What you'll need
Fresh ingredients (6)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Soak 10 ½ oz mung bean vermicelli (glass noodles) in warm water for 15 minutes until soft, drain and cut into shorter lengths with scissors.
15 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pan or wok and fry 1 onion, 4 cloves garlic and 2 tbsp fresh ginger for 2 minutes. Add 1 ½ lb boneless chicken thighs and stir-fry for 5–6 minutes until browned.
8 minStep 3: Add ½ cup soy sauce, 2 cups chicken stock or water, 1 carrot and ½ tsp black pepper and simmer for 8–10 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked to 165°F.
10 minStep 4: Add 7 oz Chinese cabbage and the noodles and toss for 3–5 minutes until the noodles have soaked up most of the liquid and turned glossy. Serve hot with rice.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 450 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sapasui take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of boneless chicken thighs?
- Chicken breast, same weight (cook a few minutes less so it stays juicy).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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