Stir-fries are one of my favorite ways to whip up a quick meal at home. I like that I can pull them together in no time and use virtually what ever ingredients I have lying around at the moment. But in the many times I’ve prepared this type of dish, my meat always end up dry and lacking in flavor. I’ve always wondered why the meat in Chinese stir-fries are always moist and succulent with an almost velvet-like texture. Well, this afternoon, I discovered the secret behind succulent morsels and it’s called velveting.
Velveting is a Chinese cooking technique wherein chicken, pork, beef or fish are marinated in a mixture of egg white, cornstarch and rice wine and then briefly blanched in oil or water. The velveted meat is finished off with other ingredients in quick stir-fry applications such as this black pepper chicken. I am not sure what chemical wizardry happens here but the cornstarch coating seems to protect the meat from overcooking, keeping them super tender. I will surely be using this cooking method in my next round of pancit guisado!
- 1 pound chicken thigh meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 large egg white
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons oil
- water
- ¼ cup oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced thinly
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- ½ red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 2-inch chunks
- ½ green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
- Wash chicken and drain well.
- In a bowl, combine egg white, cornstarch, rice wine, 1 tablespoon of the oil and salt. Whisk together until well-blended. Add chicken and stir to fully coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. In a colander, drain chicken.
- 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. Keep warm and set aside.
- In a bowl, combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, honey, rice wine, black pepper and sesame oil. Stir until well-blended and set aside.
- In a wok or wide pan over high heat, heat remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add onions, garlic and bell peppers and cook, stirring regularly, for about 1 to 2 minutes or until tender yet crisp.
- Add oyster sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Add chicken and stir to fully coat with sauce. Continue to cook, stirring regularly, for about 1 to 2 minutes or until chicken is heated through. Serve hot.
Raymund says
March 1, 2015 at 10:51 amMukhang masarap to ulam mamaya 🙂