Velveting Meat

Velveting is why the chicken in a good stir-fry is silky. Slice the meat thin against the grain. For 500 g, toss it with 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 egg white, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine and a pinch of salt, and rest it 20 minutes. Drop it into simmering water with a splash of oil, or into warm oil, for about 45 seconds, just until it turns opaque. Drain it. The coating protects the meat, so it stays tender when it goes back in the hot wok to finish. A teaspoon of baking soda does a similar job for beef.