Velveting meat is a common practice in Chinese stir-fries by marinating the meat with egg white and corn starch, then dipping then in a hot oil bath before finally stir-frying then. The meat develops a texture that is tender and silken and smooth.
Chinese Black Olive Sauce
1. Steam the Parma ham for 15 minutes and blend it.
2. Heat 400ml of oil in a pot, add in the shallots and garlic. Stir-fry until light brown.
3. Add dried shrimp, Parma ham, mushrooms, black olive, olive vegetables, chicken powder, brown sugar and oyster sauce into the pot and continue to cook.
4. Once ingredients are cooked, add water into the pot and bring it to a boil.
5. Add cooking wine and let boil for 15 minutes.
Diced Chicken with Chinese Black Olive Sauce in Pumpkin Bowl
1. Add cornflour, sesame oil, cooking wine, egg white and vinegar into a bowl. Mix well.
2. Add diced chicken thigh into the bowl and mix well until chicken is well coated.
3. Let the chicken thigh marinate for 30 minutes before cooking.
4. Cut the top of the pumpkins and remove seeds.
5. Heat some oil in a pan and stir-fry dried shrimps and Chinese black olive sauce until fragrant.
6. Add in red, green and yellow capsicums, leek and chicken thigh into the pan.
7. Add in chicken stock/water, oyster sauce and white pepper and let it cook until gravy has thickened.
8. Pour the diced chicken in Chinese black olive sauce into the pumpkin bowls.
9. Cover the pumpkin bowls with pumpkin lids and steam for 15 to 20 minutes.
Recipe by Chef Yip