When we were looking for a family dish to pair with our Samoan culture theme, the first person I thought of was one of my best friends, Fina Nepo. We’ve been friends for over 25 years and her family always has great food at their get-togethers. She is sharing one of their favorite meals with all of us! This family favorite was always made by Fina’s father, Salei Nepo (Papa).
Sapasui is the popular Samoan adaptation of Chinese chop suey. Even the name “sapasui” is a Samoanized version of “chop suey.” This saucy dish is a staple at Samoan family gatherings and feasts. Fina and her family enjoyed many sapasuis at big and small gatherings. I made it myself and my own family enjoyed it with rice, but Fina said they usually pair it with fa‘al ifu fa‘i (green bananas cooked with coconut milk).
Enjoy this wonderful Nepo family favorite!
Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless chicken, beef chuck or 2 cans of palm corned beef
2 tbsp. vegetable oil (for frying garlic, onion and ginger)
1 large onion
2–3 cloves garlic
1–2 tbsp. ginger
1/2 cup shoyu (may need to add more for flavor and color)
1 cup water or beef/chicken stock (use stock for more flavor)
1 package vermicelli or glass noodles
salt and pepper to taste
1 medium cabbage
Preparation:
Cut the meat chicken or beef chuck into bite-sized pieces. No need to cut the corned beef.
Chop or mince garlic and ginger. Chop onion.
Prepare noodles by following the instructions on the package. After draining, cut the noodles into 3- to 4-inch pieces.
Cooking Instructions:
1) Preheat a wok or pot over medium heat, then
add the oil.
2) Add garlic, onion, ginger and meat.
3) When almost halfway cooked, add the shoyu
and cook for 10 more minutes.
4) Keep stirring until the meat is almost fully
cooked. If using corned beef, reduce cooking time
to 30 minutes.
5) Add water—or stock for richer flavor.
6) Add noodles. Stir well. Simmer for 10 minutes.
7) Add more shoyu to taste.
8) Add chopped cabbage.
9) Stir, mixing all ingredients thoroughly. Turn
the heat to low and cook for another 10 minutes,
stirring occasionally to prevent the ingredients
from sticking to the pan.
Serve on a large platter or in a big bowl. Enjoy!
Prep & cook time: 45–60 minutes
Serves: 6–8 servings
Recipe by SALEI NEPO
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