Velveting is a Chinese cooking technique commonly used in stir-frying. Meat or seafood are marinated in a mixture of egg white, cornstarch and rice wine, and then briefly blanched in oil or water before finishing off in the stir-fry process with other ingredients. The marinade acts as protective coat which seals moisture and keeps the meat from overcooking, resulting in meat morsels that are silky soft and lusciously tender.
Here are a few recipes I use this method:
Black Pepper Chicken-chicken pieces are stir-fried with bell peppers and generously seasoned with black pepper
Beef Broccoli-tender beef slices and verdant broccoli florets marry beautifully in a savory oyster-flavored sauce
Green Bean Chicken-crisp green beans take center stage in this delicious stir-fry dish!
Try velveting meat and shrimp for noodle favorites such as Miki Bihon and Pancit Guisado
How to Velvet Meat
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Ingredients
1 pound boneless chicken beef or pork, cut into 1/2 thick strips
1 egg white
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
Velveting in Water
water
1 tablespoon oil
Velveting in Oil
canola or peanut oil
Instructions
Wash chicken and drain well.
In a bowl, combine egg white, Chinese wine, oil, cornstarch and salt. Whisk together until smooth and frothy. Add chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. In a colander, drain chicken.
Velveting in Water
In a pot over high heat, combine about 2-inch deep of water and 1 tablespoon of oil. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and immediately add chicken, stirring to disperse. Bring water back to a gentle simmer and once it’s barely bubbling, continue to cook chicken for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally. With a slotted spoon, remove chicken from pot and drain well.
Velveting in Oil
In a pot over medium heat, heat about 3-inch deep of oil (meat should be fully submerged in oil). Add meat and cook, stirring as needed, for about 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned. With a slotted spoon, remove chicken from pot and drain well.
