Chop Suey with Taro Fa’alifu
Photography Yuki Sato.
Serves: 6
INGREDIENTS
250 grams vermicelli (bean thread noodles)
2 kilograms lamb belly, diced into 1cm cubes
table salt and ground pepper
50ml canola oil
2 small brown onions, finely chopped
100 grams garlic, crushed
50 grams fresh ginger, crushed
500ml thick soy sauce (we used Sungold Thick Soy-style Sauce)
500ml water
Taro Fa’alifu
2 kilograms taro, skin cut off 1cm deep
table salt and ground pepper
250ml coconut cream (we used Kara)
1½ tablespoons plain flour
3 tablespoons water
1 brown onion, finely chopped
METHOD
Put the vermicelli in a large heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water, stirring occasionally to soften.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and season well with salt. Add the lamb and bring back to the boil then simmer for 2 minutes. Drain into a colander and set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pot over a high heat. Add the lamb and cook until it is well caramelised and a good golden brown. Stir in the onions, garlic and ginger and cook over a high heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Add the soy sauce and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Drain the vermicelli, and stir into the lamb, then add the water and simmer gently over a medium heat for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
For the taro fa’alifu, cut the taro into roughly 2cm cubes. Put in a large pot, cover well with cold water and season with salt. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to medium and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes.
Put the coconut cream in a small pot and bring to the boil. Whisk the flour and water together to make a smooth paste then add to the pot and whisk together. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in the raw onion and season with salt and pepper.
Drain the taro and put in a serving dish. Pour over the coconut cream and gently turn to combine. Serve alongside the chop suey.
Keep up to date with
dish weekly recipes,
food news, and events.
latest issue:
127
In Dream Escape, we journey from Japan and Morocco to Italy, India and beyond, sharing recipes inspired by travel, heritage and comfort. We celebrate the champions of the Outstanding Food Producer Awards, explore the stories and recipes of chefs shaped by their cultural roots, and warm up with everything from West African soups and slow-braised lamb to porchetta, butter chicken and beef noodle soup. Alongside destination menus, Scandinavian sweets and cosy pub classics, Chrisanne Terblanche shares her favourite street-side dining spots in Bangkok, while Yvonne Lorkin explores red wine varietals. This issue, we invite you to slow down, turn the pages and escape through food.



