Mom's Chop Suey & Bead Molasses (merged)

[SizzlininIN]

Beaded Molasses vs Molasses

I'm confused ..... is there a difference between these two?

 

[Andy M.]

I've never heard of beaded molasses. Can you provide some context?

 

[mudbug]

Rats, Andy - I've been waiting all afternoon for someone to know the answer to this one.

Never heard of it either.

 

[crewsk]

I've never heard of beaded molasses either so I did a search on google for them & it came back as bead molasses. Here's a link to what I found, the info on bead molasses is in the next to last paragraph before the preperation tips. http://www.recipetips.com/glossary-term/t--33503/molasses.asp

 

[skilletlicker]

From near the bottom of the post crewsk linked:

bead molasses, a molasses similar to light molasses, which is commonly used as a flavoring and coloring for many Asian food dishes.

Thanks crewsk. I'd never heard of of it and didn't catch it when I googled the topic.

 

[SizzlininIN]

Chop Suey Like Mom Used To Make

I thought I'd never be able to make my moms Chop Suey again. Well I found a recipe in a cookbook that gave me a general idea but didn't have some things mom used and after several attempts throughout the last year or so I've finally got it to taste like moms did.

CHOP SUEY LIKE MOM USED TO MAKE​

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Thick Boneless Pork Chops, cut into small pieces
2 Stalks Celery with Leaves, diced
1 Medium Onion, diced
6 cups Hot Water
1 (14oz) can Bean Sprouts, drained and rinsed
1 (8oz) can Sliced Waterchestnuts, drained and rinsed
1/2 tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper, finely ground setting
1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
3/4 cup Soy Sauce
3- 4 Tbsp Beaded Molasses....start out with 3
White Rice
LaChoy Chow Mein Noodles
Heat up EVOO in a Dutch Oven on medium heat.....add onion, celery and pork....sprinkle some of the salt and pepper on this mixture. Cook this for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add water, bean sprouts and water chestnuts. Add remaining S & P, soy sauce and beaded molasses, stir. Now mix up your slurry mixture (see below) and slowly stream this in stirring as you add it.
Simmer for 30 minutes. You may need to adjust the seasoning a little to your taste. The above is one I've made to suite ours. It may need a touch more pepper......remember the soy sauce is salty so don't over salt this. You can always add a little more beaded molasses. I usually end up using 3/4 of the small bottle.
Thickening Slurry:
*Add 2 Tbsp. Flour to a measuring cup then fill cup with water to 1/2 cup line. Blend really good with a fork so that there are no lumps.
Serve over fluffy white rice. Top with LaChoy Chow Mein Noodles.
Tip: I spray my Tablespoon with cooking spray and the molasses comes out easily.

I have used the veg. oil when I was out of EVOO and didn't notice any difference when using either or.

 

[SizzlininIN]

I can find it at some stores in the asian/chinese section. I think the brand name is LaChoy but don't hold me to that. Mom's always used this in her chop suey. Well our local store doesn't carry it so I tried just regular molasses and it didn't have the same flavor as when I used the beaded. It was still good but like I said it didn't have the same flavor. So I'm going to start stocking up on the beaded so I don't run out again.

 

[FryBoy]

Sounds like very retro, homey, comfort food.

One comment: it seems to me that olive oil might be a little strongly flavored for Asian food -- or even mock-Asian dishes like chop suey (which is purely an American concoction). I usually use a much lighter flavored oil, such as peanut, corn, or canola, when preparing Asian dishes.

 

[SizzlininIN]

Sounds like very retro, homey, comfort food.

One comment: it seems to me that olive oil might be a little strongly flavored for Asian food -- or even mock-Asian dishes like chop suey (which is purely an American concoction). I usually use a much lighter flavored oil, such as peanut, corn, or canola, when preparing Asian dishes.

I'm sure mom would of used vegetable oil as she never used evoo. However, honestely there is not difference. I have used veg oil too when I ran out of evoo. So I'd think you could use any of those mentioned too without changing it.

 

[Aurora]

Why would you add Kosher salt when you have 3/4 cup of soy sauce and 2 stalks of celery? It would seem that the soy sauce and celery would make it salty enough.

 

[SizzlininIN]

Beats me.......something I know she did and the recipe that was similar to how she made it called for those also.

 

[auntdot]

Sounds great Sizzlin, but I don't know what beaded molasses is.

 

[SizzlininIN]

I was questioning the dif. between it and molasses on another thread and Crewsk came through......see that post.

As far as adding the extra kosher salt Aurora.......it really does make a difference. With my first attempt I didn't add any ....I was thinking the same thing.....it already has all that soy sauce maybe I really don't need it even though mom added it. It needed it!

I do sometimes add a little more black pepper......just depends on my mood and if I want to ump the flavor up a little bit more.