I hope this might be a good answer.
Other than trying to get BIR curries in my home kitchen , I strive to get Chinese takeaway tastes too.
You know that silky soft taste they get into the meats in Chop Suey , Chow Mein and Fried Rice dishes etc.
Well, I tried those tecniques for meats I use in BIR's too and it works for me.
Tenderising the meat
To tenderise chicken or dark meat you marinate it overnight in water with some bi-carb in it. For a 2 person / portions curry I put the chicken in a small dish and just cover it with cold water. Then I sprinkle 2 teaspoons of bi-carb into the water and swish it around a little. Store overnight in the fridge with a lid or plate ontop. When you want to use it , throw the water/mix away ( it will likely be a bit bloody ) and rinse the meat under the running cold tap just for a few seconds then cook as normal. The result is extremely pleasing.
VELVETING the Meat
To get that silky feel ( some might call it slightly slimey ) then you can use the chicken or meat "as-is raw" or first as described above , then procede as follows :
For 2 ~ 3 portions
1 egg white
1 tablespoon of cornflour
1/4 teaspoon of salt
Mix all ingredients to a paste in a bowl. Do not overmix as the egg white will froth. Place meat into bowl and turn it to cover with the paste. Keep the mixing gentle and just enough to coat everything. Cover the bowl with a lid or a plate and leave at room teperature for 30 ~ 45 minutes , thats all.
Now , to prep the meat.
Heat up a a wok or pan ( wok is best as it saves oil ) enough cooking oil to cover the meat. You can use water instead but I think the results are better with oil.
We are NOT going to cook the meat we are just going to heat it a little so keep the heat down. Drop the meat into the oil in slow amounts ( if the meat appears to sizzle or 'fry' the oil is too hot ) . For chicken we are looking to heat it for 30 seconds to a minute thats all . The chicken surface will turn white and at that point you should remove it from the oil and place it to one side. Same for dark meats , they will turn a much lighter creamy colour. Do this heat treatment of the meat in small batches. each time only for 30 seconds to a minute should see the required result. Remember , this process takes only 30 seconds or so , so you should be able to guage the oil / water temperature and adjust accordingly.Once you have all the meat prepaired this way and set to one side, let it cool. NOT in a fridge , just at room temperature.
After it's cooled procede to use it as you would normally.
Good luck and dont forget to post back regarding any trials you do.
Topic: How do i get chicken really really soft? (read 50,814 times)
