Jamaican Chop Suey

If you are a lover of Chinese chop suey and like to try new flavors in it, you are in luck! The Jamaican chop suey is a version of the Chinese chop suey that is super delicious, easy to cook, and versatile.

It offers a perfect blend of the Chinese way of cooking and Jamaican ingredients. Other Chinese Inspired dishes are Vegan Fried Rice and Sesame Tofu. 

It is quite apparent from the name that Jamaican chop suey is the Jamaican version of Chinese chop suey. If you are a bit confused, relax! It’s a simple formula.

Now, it’s the rule of nature that living beings migrate from one place to another to find food, shelter, and better living opportunities. It is not just the birds and animals that migrate, but humans do it too. History is a witness of some of the most prominent migrations of nations or people.

Among those, the Chinese have been quite famous for getting out of their country and spreading it all across the world. Where ever they went, they took their heritage, culture, traditions, and food with them. Although the next generations came out as a mixture of different cultures, you will find several variants of Chinese culture and especially the food.

What is chop suey?

In simple words, chop suey is a stir fry. Its main components include vegetables or sometimes meat. Either way, it is vegetables that are coated with a sauce. Chop suey is a famous Chinese dish that has gained popularity all over the world, especially in America.

The American chop suey is quite popular in the country. The reason people love chop suey is that it is super simple to make and is very versatile. You can create your recipe. Choose the vegetables you like along with the sauce of your choice. Sautee the vegetables along with the sauce, and that’s pretty much it. No extensive cooking at all.

What is Jamaican chop suey?

A Jamaican chop suey is a famous dish in Jamaica that was bought to the country by the Chinese immigrants as they came to Jamaica and settles in the early 1900s. ‘

Because the Chinese culture has a dominant cuisine, the people who migrated to Jamaica didn’t leave behind their culinary skills. They came to a new land and introduced their cuisine. The influence has been too prominent that they have merged the two cuisines to come up with a perfect dish like Jamaican chop suey.

Now, this dish uses the simple Chinese technique of making chop suey, i.e., sautéing the vegetables. However, the sauce and the seasonings bring in the Jamaican flavors.

How to make Jamaican chop suey?

Now making Jamaican chop suey is as easy as saying the name of the dish. It is super easy to make, and the preparation includes essential ingredients that are always available in your kitchen pantry. Here are simple steps to follow for a perfect chop suey Jamaican style:

 1: Heat oil in a large skillet and add onions, carrots, salt, and black pepper.

 2: Sauté the vegetables for about 2-3 minutes or until the onions become translucent.

 3: Now add bok choy and continue to sauté for some time.

 4: Pour in tamari and stir until all vegetables are coated in sauce.

 5: Continue to cook until all liquid evaporates from the skillet and the bok choy is cooked through.

 6: Serve.

Ingredient break down

Here is a detailed breakdown of all the ingredient you need to make delicious Jamaican chop suey:

• Bok choy: Boy Choy or Chinese cabbage is a leafy green vegetable that is known for its unique flavor. It is a common ingredient in several Chinese dishes. The vegetable has a flavor that resembles spinach a lot. However, the taste is a bit bitter. Bok choy is the highlight of this dish. It is the main ingredient that not only adds color but flavor to the dish as well.
• Vegetables: apart from the bok choy, I like to add onions, garlic, and carrot to this dish. However, you can add whichever vegetable you want.
• Tamari sauce: Tamari sauce is also known as Japanese soya sauce. It is made from fermented soya beans and is gluten-free. It is a bit darker than the regular soya sauce and less salty. Tamari sauce has an umami flavor that makes every dish taste wonderful. It adds tones of flavor to Jamaican Chop suey.

Benefits of bok choy:

Bok choy or Chinese cabbage is an integral part of several Asian and Chinese dishes. It is widely used because of the many benefits it offers. Here are a few to name:

• Firstly, it is low in calories. Thus, it is a good option for people following a healthy diet.
• Bok choy is rich in vitamin A.
• It has a high content of Vitamin C, E and K as well.
• Because it is rich in dietary fiber, it helps in improving digestive health and regulates sugar levels in the blood.
• It contains folate, which helps in cell repair. As a result, it prevents cancer.
• It is rich in beta-carotene, which is an anti-oxidant. It is known to have several benefits for health and the body.
• Since bok choy is rich in iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc, it protects your bones and improves bone health.
• It also promotes heart health.

What to serve with Jamaican chop suey?

The best thing about a chop suey is that you can serve it in several different ways. Here are a few examples:

• You can serve chop suey with noodles. Whether you use whole wheat noodles, gluten-free noodles, or zucchini noodles, it tastes perfect.
• I love to pair it up with cooked or boiled rice. Its umami flavor compliments rice perfectly well. However, if you are looking for more creative options, you can serve it with cauliflower rice as well.
• Most people love to full chop suey up in a spring roll. Now that’s something creative, isn’t it?

Tips and tricks for perfect chop suey

Here are a few tips and tricks that will help you get tasteful results:

• Although carrots and onions go perfectly well with bok choy, if you want to add more flavors, you can add Celery and bean sprouts as well. These vegetables go perfectly well with bok choy, and you get more vegetables to enjoy.
• If you don’t have tamari sauce, you can use soya sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, as a substitute as well. However, keep in mind that the unique flavor of this dish comes from the tamari sauce. So, it is better if you use tamari.
• Make sure that all liquid and moisture are evaporated from the dish before you turn the heat off. If any moisture is left behind, it will compromise the taste of the dish.

Other Vegan Chinese Recipes

• General Tso’s Chickpeas
• Vegetable Lo Mein
• Sweet And Sour Tofu
• Chinese Scallion Pancakes
• Vegan Gluten-Free Chinese Almond Cookie

If you are looking for an easy-to-make and super healthy Chinese-inspired dish, the Jamaican chop suey is a perfect choice. Thanks to the Chinese who traveled and settled down in Jamaica, we get to enjoy this delicious dish.

It is vegan, gluten-free, easy to make, versatile, and delicious. Try this recipe at home, and let me know how did you find it? Also, let me know which vegetable combination did you use for this dish and why?

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Jamaican Chop Suey

Jamaican chop suey is a delicious, vegan, gluten-free, easy to make, and versatile Jamaican-inspired Chinese dish. Whether it is weekday or weekend, this dish won't disappoint you! That's for sure.

5 from 11 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Jamaican

Keyword: Jamaican chop suey

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 101kcal

Equipment

• 1 skillet

Ingredients

• 1 large head bok choy washed and chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion sliced
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper (optional)
• 1 large carrot sliced
• 1/4 cup Tamari soy sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
• 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper (optional)

Instructions

• In a large skillet, add olive oil and place on medium heat.
• Add sliced onions, Scotched bonnet pepper, garlic, carrots, black pepper, and pink Himalayan salt and sauté for about 2-3 minutes or until the onions change color.
• Collect the onions and carrots and slide them to a side of the skillet.
• Add chopped bok choy head and sauté for a minute or two. Stir and combine it with other vegetables.
• Pour in tamari and mix until it is well combined with the vegetables.
• Increase the heat to a high and continue to cook the vegetables for about 6 minutes until the bok choy gets soft and wilted.
• Once all liquid evaporates from the skillet, turn off the heat and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 1027mg | Potassium: 449mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 7972IU | Vitamin C: 68mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 2mg