Li Hung's Chop Suey

It turns out that chop suey is not the American creation it was once thought to be. Li Hung was a statesman of the Imperial Ching dynasty and the one that discovered this dish in the Kuang Tung district of China and brought it to light. Serve with steamed rice. From an old newspaper clipping.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 5

Ingredients

• 5  ounces  pork loin, sliced into thin pieces
• 7  ounces fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 1⁄2 tablespoons cornstarch
•  oil (for deep frying)
• 3  small green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• 3  tomatoes, julienned
• 5  dried mushrooms
• 2  green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4  ounces peas, blanched for two minutes in boiling water (either fresh or frozen)
• 2  tablespoons  oil
• 1 (4 1/2ounce) can bamboo shoots, drained
• 3  ounces barbecued pork
• 1  cup chicken broth (either your own or canned)
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 1  tablespoon soy sauce
• 1  tablespoon sake
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon  sesame oil

Directions

1. Soak mushrooms in warm water until soft; remove stems and quarter caps.
2. Preheat oil for frying.
3. Mix two tablespoons cornstarch with a little water; dip pork and shrimp in mixture.
4. Fry in oil, but do not brown; drain and set aside.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in wok or large skillet; saute bamboo shoots, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and onions for 3 minutes over high heat.
6. Add barbecued pork, fried pork and shrimp.
7. Stir in chicken broth, sugar, soy sauce, sake and salt; cover and cook over high heat for two minutes.
8. Mix remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch in a little water; stir into chop suey.
9. Cook until mixture thickens.
10. Drop sesame oil on top; scatter peas over the surface and serve at once.