In the late ’50s, my dad embarked on an academic adventure at a Wuhan university that would take an unexpected turn into the realm of culinary creativity. It was his final year, and the school canteen was in a pickle, literally! They ran out of local supplies, and their bank account is basically an empty picket jar. So, what was the bright idea? Let’s hit up the students for loans!

After the university scraped together enough cash, they sent a ragtag expedition to a neighbouring province’s farms to buy a mountain of radishes. Here’s where it gets entertaining. The students, in their exuberance, formed radish-rescue teams. Armed with peeling prowess and a flair for slide-and-dry drama, they turned the dormitory front yards into a radish revival spectacle.

For most of the year, the canteen’s menu featured dried salted radishes as the star attraction, with wheat buns (‘mantou’) playing the trusty sidekick. Malnutrition and compulsory farm work were on the menu, but so were the ingredients for lifelong friendships. This epic chapter in my dad’s life is known as the ‘Great Chinese Famine,’ where radishes became the unsung heroes of dormitory cuisine.

Today, my father and I savoured the chicken chop suey I prepared. It delighted our taste buds with its juicy, sweet, and salty flavours, and we couldn’t help but feel immensely thankful for the delectable meal.

Ingredients

• 200g diced chicken thigh fillet
• Approx. 20g diced leek
• Approx. 20g diced bamboo shoot (from can)
• Approx. 20g diced carrot
• Approx. 20g peas
• Approx. 20g diced preserved salted radish
• Optional – approx. 4 dry Chinese mushrooms (soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, stems removed, and diced)
• Optional – 10g dry lily flower (soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, ends trimmed, and diced – optional)
• Approx. 3g finely diced ginger
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• A dash of dark soy sauce (say, 1 tsp)
• A dash of sesame oil (say, 1 tsp)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Cooking oil
• Sliced green shallots for garnish

Method

• In a frying pan, heat some cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add leek, carrot, bamboo shoots, Chinese mushrooms, lily buds, and ginger. Stir-fry for a few minutes, then transfer the mixture to a bowl.
• Heat the frying pan once more with a bit more cooking oil. Add the chicken pieces and preserved radish, along with oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Stir-fry until the chicken is nearly cooked.
• Now, reintroduce the previously stir-fried Chinese vegetables and stir-fry until the chicken is fully cooked. Add peas and sauté for a few more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Transfer the delicious stir-fry to a serving bowl and garnish it with green shallots

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