China's cooking pays attention to color, fragrance and taste. When cooking, it is important to ensure the taste, but the appearance and color of the dishes are also very important, especially those dishes that look outstanding and often serve at one end, which makes people appetite. I'm sure you will have such doubts when you eat in a restaurant. Why is it that the dishes cooked by the chef in the restaurant outside are as shiny as a layer of oil and look delicious, but it is difficult to cook at home like this?

In fact, the secret is that the chef's cooking method is different from his own. The chef added a thickening step, that is, starch can absorb water, adhere, smooth and clean after being gelatinized by heat. When the dishes are close to maturity or ripe, put the prepared powder juice into the pot to thicken the marinade of the dishes and increase the adhesion of the marinade to the raw materials, thus making the soup of the dishes powdery.

Generally speaking, thickening can be divided into two categories. One is to add seasonings such as soy sauce and cooking wine to starch juice. In the kitchen, chefs call it "juice collocation". Juice is often used with strong firepower and fast speed. Generally speaking, fruit juice will be added to dishes cooked by distillation, pot and other cooking methods. The other is simple starch juice, also called wet starch, which is generally used in ordinary cooking. Pouring juice is also a thickening. Pouring juice is also called thin and thick, and the glaze is thick. Usually simmer, burn and soup are mixed with water.

In fact, thickening looks simple, but there are many techniques. The thickness of starch juice has a very important influence on the sale of oil in dishes. And the quality of starch can also change the taste of dishes, so the quality of thickening directly determines the quality of dishes. Next, several different thickening methods are introduced.

The first is Bao Peng. Wrapping is mainly used for cooking. The flour wrapped is the thickest. The purpose of wrapping is to wrap all the sauces on the raw materials. Common delicacies, such as fish-flavored shredded pork and fried kidney flowers, are all wrapped. After eating all the dishes, there is basically no vegetable juice on the plate.

Second, paste. Paste making is generally used for frying, sliding, stewing and stewing. Powder is thinner than wrapping, and its main function is to turn soup into paste, which plays a role in harmonizing the taste. Common sweet and sour pork ribs are made in this way.

Third, the traffic is embarrassing. The runner is a kind of thin powder, which is used for large or whole plates. The main function is to increase the flavor and luster of dishes. After the dish is served, the marinade in the pot is heated and thickened, and finally poured on the dish, some are glazed and some are stained on the dish, which enhances the selling appearance of the dish.