Chop Suey Recipe Is Revived, Updated : Old Favorite Gets New Treatment Featuring Fresh Ingredients

According to one culinary historian, chop suey had its greatest numbers of fans in three large cities--San Francisco, Chicago and New York--during the early years of this century. It was eaten in restaurants and cooked at home.

After this, cooks all over the country took to chop suey. From the 1920s on, through several decades, recipes for the dish abounded.

Now we think it is time to revive it. In doing so we took an old-time popular recipe and updated it. We used fresh bean sprouts and fresh mushrooms instead of the canned varieties and fresh ginger root instead of ground ginger root. Great improvements. CHOP SUEY

1 to 1 1/4 cups fresh mung bean sprouts (about 2 ounces)

1 1/2 tablespoons corn oil

1/2 cup slivered (matchstick size) pared carrots

1/2 cup thinly sliced celery

1/2 cup thinly sliced mushrooms

1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped ginger root

1 1/2 cups cooked pork strips

1 1/4 cups clear fat-free chicken broth

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Hot cooked rice

Rinse bean sprouts and drain well; set aside.

In large skillet, over medium heat, heat oil; add carrots, celery, mushrooms, scallion and ginger; stir-fry for about 2 minutes.

Add pork, 1 cup of broth and bean sprouts. Bring to boil. Simmer, covered, until carrots are tender-crisp--a minute or so.

In small bowl, stir together cornstarch, remaining 1/4 cup broth and soy sauce until smooth. Stir into pork mixture.

Over medium heat, stirring constantly, bring to boil and boil until clear and thickened. Serve with rice. Pass extra soy sauce.

Makes 4 servings.