It’s better to marinate the meat first. The taste of meat and vegetable dishes is more balanced in the marinade. You can marinate the meat first and then the marinade. In this way, both meat and vegetable dishes can absorb the aroma and taste of the marinade, which is relatively more consistent. Therefore, it is best to marinate the meat first before making the marinade. Zao marinade is a traditional Chinese sauce that is often used to pickle ingredients or cook braised vegetables. It is a rich sauce made from a mixture of soy sauce, rice wine, Huadiao wine, spices (such as star anise, bay leaves, cloves, etc.), sugar and other seasonings.