Mother Lovin' Chop Suey

so, this is a recipe for chop suey i found in my moms pile of cookbooks and scraps. it is the same recipe she used for years. you can omit the straw mushrooms if you wish, they are very good, however. I often will add more stew meat and have sometimes used chopped green pepper in it as well. Bead molasses is a bit of a P.I.A. to find so regular molasses works just as well.


Ingredients
¼ cup cornstarch
1 tsp. bead molasses
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
Cold water
1 can straw mushrooms
1 can bean sprouts
2-4 Tbsp oil
1 lb + stew meat
1 onion, quartered
Celery, cut up (1-2 ribs will suffice)
2 cups boiling water
1 tsp chicken or beef boullion (or a cube)
1 can bamboo shoots
1 can water chestnuts
1 can baby corns

Chow mein noodles
White rice

Method:
1. Brown meat in 2 Tbsp oil until tender. Stir while browning.

2. Remove from pan, and then add 2 more Tbsp oil. Throw in onion and celery, stirring to coat.

3. Cover. Cooking on medium heat until crisp (but not soft)

4. Add 2 Cups boiling water, the boullion and the meat. Cover and cook on low heat until meat is very tender and the veggies are easy to chew. (approx. 15 min)

5. Meanwhile, in a cup, combine the cornstarch, bead molasses, sugar and soy sauce. After they are mixed well, fell the rest of te cup with cold water.

6. Mix well and add to the chop suey. Add the mushrooms, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts and baby corns. Still well, but gently, until boiling & thick. (add more water if needed)

7. Serve over white rice, sprinkle with chow mein noodles.