Braised dishes are widely made in households, with finished products often deep red, light red or a shade of red like dates.The color is lustrous and the taste is fresh, slightly salty and sweet, tender and well-cooked, with thick sauce and a rich aroma.But achieving bright red with rich flavor and thick sauce requires some skill and time.Firstly, ingredient selection and processing are crucial; braised dishes can adapt to various raw materials but the quality of ingredients significantly impacts the final result.

For example,braised porkis best made from fatty pork leg meat,braised pig's trottersshould use front trotters, andbraised chickenshould be made from a one-year-old rooster,braised fishshould choose fish weighing around 1 kg,such as carp.The ingredients should remain fresh, without spoilage or off-flavors.According to the characteristics of the raw material, they can be whole pieces (e.g., braised pork), sliced (braised meat balls), cubed (braised fish cubes), or cut into segments (braised sea cucumber).However, avoid cutting them too small or thin; otherwise, due to prolonged heating, the ingredients may become mushy.The goal is uniformity in size and thickness for easy cooking and flavor absorption.Secondly,

the meat must be well-flattened, fish should be fried until fragrant.It's advisable to first blanch purchased meat before stir-frying; blanching removes any residual blood and impurities.Don't use too much oil during frying; after draining excess fat, the dish will not be greasy but still flavorful.For braised fish, ensure it is fresh and fry until golden on both sides with a thin hard skin before adding to the pot for cooking.This step is crucial for achieving the lustrous finish of the dish; otherwise, the finished product may appear dull and broken.Thirdly,initial coloring followed by adding water all at once.After stir-frying or frying the ingredients, start a new pot with oil, heat it up, then add seasonings like Shaoxing wine and soy sauce.Once the color of the soy sauce adheres to the ingredients, add enough fresh broth or water (one time only; do not add more during cooking), adding the main ingredient and boiling quickly until bubbling, skimming off foam, seasoning appropriately, then simmering slowly until tender and well-seasoned. The sauce should be absorbed into the ingredients before concentrating it with quick heat.

Using low heat helps distribute heat evenly to ensure thorough cooking and absorption of flavors.The key is high fire at both ends and medium-low fire in between.If you add water too early, seasonings can get diluted, leading to a pale finish.Ensure enough liquid initially; meat should be submerged for braising, while less for fish.Too much liquid will not allow the sauce to thicken properly, and insufficient liquid will affect both flavor and color if added midway.Fourthly,"coloring and seasoning" are inseparable in braised dishes.Color is achieved during initial processing; fish turns pale red after frying. Seasonings like soy sauce, caramelized sugar, Shaoxing wine, or grape wine enhance the coloring.Avoid overly dark coloration to prevent affecting taste and appearance.The taste profile of braised dishes is mainly salty and fresh with a slight sweetness, using soy sauce as the primary seasoning. The amount of sugar should be moderate; less is preferable.Preserving original flavor requires appropriate addition of liquid; too much dilutes flavors while insufficient prevents thorough cooking.Generally, use twice the volume of liquid for meat, and a bit less for fish.

The sauce should not be overly thick to maintain the characteristics of braised dishes.A light coating of starch is applied for clarity and brightness in the sauce without overpowering the main ingredients.Coloring and seasoning are interrelated; too much coloring can affect both taste and appearance.Thus, when adding soy sauce or caramelized sugar, avoid overdoing it to prevent overly dark coloration affecting flavor and appearance.The principle is to be light rather than heavy.

The taste of braised dishes is mainly salty and fresh, with a slight sweetness; it primarily uses soy sauce for seasoning, with sugar used in moderation.

Braised dishes emphasize the original flavor and aroma, so the amount of broth should be appropriate. Too much broth can make the taste bland, while too little will not fully cook the main ingredients. Generally, the broth is about twice the amount of the raw materials, and it's removed when reduced to 1/4 of the raw material.Do not reduce the sauce too tightly; if done so, the sauce becomes too thick and loses the characteristics of braised dishes.Thickening should also not be overly concentrated. A light layer of water-starch can be used to make the sauce clear and glossy, highlighting the main ingredient.

Coloring and seasoning are inseparable processes.Coloring has a seasoning effect, and seasoning also affects the color.This requires that when preparing the dish, adding soy sauce or coloring should not be excessive to avoid making the broth too dark, affecting both taste and color.The principle is to keep it light rather than deep.

Braised dishes are commonly made by households; they often come out as deep red, light red, or auburn. The dish has a lustrous red hue, a fresh-savory and slightly sweet flavor, tender and soft with an appealing texture, and a yellowish-brown thick sauce.However, achieving the perfect red and lustrous appearance with rich flavors requires some skill and technique.

Firstly, selecting ingredients and processing them is crucial for making braised dishes. The nature of the raw materials significantly affects the final outcome, so choosing high-quality ingredients remains a fundamental step in cooking well.For example, braised meat should be made with five-spice pork belly, braised arm cutlet uses the front leg, braised chicken requires an old rooster, and braised fish needs a 1000-gram carp.The ingredients should remain fresh, without any spoilage or off odors.Based on the characteristics of the raw materials, they can be whole (like braised meat), sliced (as in braised meat), cubed (braised fish pieces), cut into segments (braised sea cucumber), or minced (braised meatballs). However, generally, the ingredients should not be cut too small or thin as they might break during long cooking.The overall requirement is uniformity: similar sizes and thicknesses to ensure even cooking and flavor absorption.

Secondly, meats need to be thoroughly fried until golden, while fish must be pan-fried until both sides are golden and have a crispy skin before adding the broth.Market-bought meat should ideally first be blanched in water before frying. This process helps remove residual blood and any lingering gamey flavors; when frying, do not use too much oil. After frying, some of the rendered fat can be drained to avoid greasiness.For braised fish, only fresh fish is acceptable. Once both sides are golden brown with a thin hard skin on top, they should be removed and prepared for braising.This step is critical for achieving the desired luster in the final dish; otherwise, the finished product will appear dull and disheveled.Thirdly, coloring must precede adding water, done all at once.

When the raw ingredients are fried or pan-fried, start a new clean pot with oil. Heat it up and then add wine, soy sauce, etc., as seasonings.Once the color from the soy sauce adheres to the ingredients, add fresh broth or water (add enough at once; do not add more during cooking), adding the main ingredient and bringing it to a boil quickly while skimming off any foam. Season well, simmer on medium heat until tender, allowing flavors to permeate. Finish with quick heating to thicken the sauce.Only slow cooking allows heat to gradually enter the ingredients, ensuring they are thoroughly cooked and flavored.Two extremes use high flame, while moderate heat is used in between—this is crucial for braised dishes.If you start adding water or seasonings without coloring first, the seasoning will be diluted by the water, resulting in a grayish and dull appearance.Broth should always be added once at the beginning; for meat, it's best if the liquid covers the ingredients. For fish, less can be used.If too much broth is used, it becomes difficult to thicken the sauce; too little broth during cooking affects both taste and color.Four, specifically on "coloring and seasoning." The initial coloring of braised dishes is achieved simultaneously with cooking.

For braised fish, they are fried until golden before formal cooking where additional coloring comes from soy sauce, wine,mintand other seasonings for color enhancement.However, avoid excessive coloring to prevent affecting the final appearance.The taste of braised dishes is mainly salty and fresh with a slight sweetness, primarily using soy sauce as seasoning; sugar should be used in moderation, not too much.

Braised dishes emphasize original flavor. Therefore, adding broth should be appropriate; too much broth can make the taste bland, while insufficient broth makes it difficult to cook the main ingredients fully. Generally, the amount of broth is about twice that of the raw materials, and it's removed when reduced to 1/4 of the raw material.

Do not reduce the sauce too tightly; if done so, the sauce becomes overly thick and loses the characteristics of braised dishes.Thickening should also not be overly concentrated. A light layer of water-starch can be used to make the sauce clear and glossy, highlighting the main ingredient.Coloring and seasoning are inseparable processes.

Coloring has a seasoning effect, and seasoning also affects the color.This requires that when preparing the dish, adding soy sauce or coloring should not be excessive to avoid making the broth too dark, affecting both taste and color.The principle is to keep it light rather than deep.The principle is to keep it light rather than deep.