Chinese cuisine is renowned for its flavorful stir fries, and the secret to replicating restaurant-style dishes at home lies in the use of corn starch. This pantry staple serves dual purposes: tenderizing meat through a method called velveting and thickening sauces for a satisfying texture. To velvet meat, one creates a corn starch slurry, massages it into the protein, and refrigerates for about 30 minutes before rinsing and cooking. For sauces, combining corn starch with stir fry ingredients and cooking at medium-high heat yields a velvety consistency, elevating the overall dish.
The key to achieving restaurant-quality stir fries at home is using corn starch for both tenderizing meat and thickening sauces.
Corn starch in Chinese cooking not only acts as a thickening agent but also plays a crucial role in a process called velveting, enhancing the texture and flavor absorption of meat.
To velvet meat, create a corn starch slurry, massage it into the protein, refrigerate for 30 minutes, rinse, then stir fry for best results.
For a superior stir fry sauce, mix corn starch with other ingredients and cook over medium-high heat until velvety and viscous, achieving a restaurant-like texture.
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