Velvet Hack for Chinese New Year

.....and a recipe for Orange Chicken...

Here’s what I was thinking.

Why oh why is my Beef Stroganoff and dishes like it a bit tough? And why oh why are Chinese dishes using the same size and thickness of beef so very tender and juicy?? Then it dawned on me. Go look on Youtube for some ideas and thoughts. And there (one of my new “universities”) (which also includes TikTok) I learned the Chinese secret. It is called “velvet”. It is a technique.

Oh yay. Thank you.

So because I would like to cook Chinese to celebrate Chinese New Year, I began researching for recipes using the velveting technique and in the process learned that, in Chinese astrology, I am a Rabbit.

Definition: “In the Chinese culture, the rabbit is known to be the luckiest out of all the twelve animals. It symbolizes mercy, elegance, and beauty. People who are born in the year of the rabbit are calm and peaceful. They avoid fighting and arguing at all times, they are the peacemakers and diplomats, are artistic, and have good taste in life.”

They hit it on the nail. I hate confrontation and avoid chaos or fighting at all costs.

Next, I found out that this year, 2024, is the year of the Dragon.

Definition: “Chinese Horoscope Predictions 2024: According to the Chinese Horoscope 2024, the year of the dragon represents prosperity and good fortune. The Dragon year 2024, will bring evolution, improvement, and abundance; it is the perfect time for rejuvenated beginnings and setting the foundation for long-term success.”

Sounds good to me!!!

To celebrate, I want to cook and devour a great Chinese meal and have chewable meat, which heretofore had not been from my efforts.

So what is the “velvet” technique??

Velveting is a technique in Chinese cuisine for preserving the moisture of meat while cooking. Additionally, it provides a soft or "velvety" texture to the meat of any entrée. The technique is applied to raw meat before cooking either in oil or in water.

Want to know the secret?

It’s cornstarch and/or baking soda.

“Baking soda helps to tenderize the meat, while corn starch acts as a coating agent. Some people prefer using baking soda for its tenderizing effect, while others opt for corn starch to achieve a crispier texture. Ultimately, it depends on personal preference and the desired outcome.”

I read on…. “velveting—is an elegant skill wielded without much fanfare by home cooks and take-out spots alike—deserves as much recognition as a French roux.”

Yes I totally agree! I am so into this now. Down the rabbit hole, as it were.

”Cornstarch can be added in the last minutes of cooking, or better yet, used to velvet the ingredients—to coat the pieces themselves in a cornstarch-based slurry. Velveting does more than tenderize your glistening orange chicken—it creates an even protective coating that browns meat more evenly, seals in its juices, and improves overall sauce adhesion.”

So now I have to decide on what meal I want to make for Chinese New Year. Again, I turn my fingers to the keyboard to punch out YouTube. I typed in “how to velvet”.

Because orange and kumquat trees are believed to bring luck and good fortune in Chinese culture, I chose to cook and orange-centric chicken dish from a Chinese recipe using velveting.

This is the one I am going to make. If you make it, let me know if you liked it!

Orange Chicken recipe from thewoksoflife.com

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs (cut into 1½-inch/4cm chunks)

• 1 tablespoon water

• 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine (or white cooking wine)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper

• 1/3 cup cornstarch

• 1 to 1½ cups neutral oil (such as canola, peanut, or vegetable oil, for shallow-frying the chicken)

For the rest of the dish:

• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice (or store-bought)

• 1/2 cup chicken stock

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 2 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 3 to 4 pieces dried tangerine or mandarin orange peel (optional)

• 6 dried red chili peppers

• 2 star anise

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic (minced, optional)

• 1/2 teaspoon ginger (minced, optional)

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch (mixed into slurry with 2 tablespoons water)

• 1 scallion (sliced on an angle into 1 1/2-inch/4cm pieces)

Instructions

• Add the chicken to a dish, and add the water, Shaoxing wine, salt, garlic powder, sesame oil, and white pepper. Toss to combine, and set aside for at least 20 minutes or covered and refrigerated overnight.

• Add the cornstarch to a shallow bowl, and dredge the chicken pieces until evenly coated.

• Mix the orange chicken sauce by combining the orange juice, chicken stock, sugar, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, and salt. Taste the sauce, and add more rice vinegar if you like it tart, more salt or oyster sauce if you think it needs more salt, and/or a little more sugar if you like it sweeter.

• Soak the dried tangerine peels, whole dried chili peppers, and star anise in a bowl filled with room temperature water for 2 minutes, and drain. This will help bring out their flavors later when they are toasted in the dry wok. Take care not to break open the chilis, or the seeds inside will make the dish very spicy!

• Heat 1 to 1½ cups of canola oil in a wok to 350°F/175°C. You will shallow-fry the chicken in two batches. Carefully place half of the chicken into the wok, and shallow fry until golden brown (about 3 to 4 minutes), turning the chicken halfway through for even cooking and browning. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels or a wire rack set over a sheet pan, then repeat with the second batch.

• If you want the chicken extra crispy and you’re using dark meat—after the chicken has rested for 5 to 10 minutes, reheat the oil and give the chicken a second fry for 1 to 2 minutes. This step is optional.

• Remove most of the oil from the wok, leaving behind about 1 tablespoon. Heat the wok over medium-low heat, and add the tangerine peel, chili peppers, and star anise. Toast for 30 seconds, until fragrant, taking care not to burn them.

• Add the chopped ginger and garlic at this time, if using. Cook for 10 seconds, and then add the prepared sauce mixture. Bring to a simmer.

• Stir up your cornstarch slurry, and gradually add it to the sauce, stirring constantly. When the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon (you may not need all of the cornstarch slurry to get your desired thickness), add the chicken and scallions. Toss quickly, and serve!

Wishing you a very abundant and joyful Chinese New Year! See you next week! Hillary