Braising dishes have a broad adaptability to ingredients, but the texture of the raw materials significantly affects the final result. Therefore, selecting high-quality ingredients is still crucial for making good braised dishes.AsFor braised pork belly,use fatty parts from the hind leg, while braising pig's trotters should use the front legs.For braised chicken,choose mature roosters from the previous year,for braised fish,select fish weighing about 1000 grams,such as carp.and so on.Ingredients should be fresh, without spoilage or off odors.During processing, depending on the characteristics of the raw materials, they can be used whole or cut into pieces, slices, or segments, but it is generally not advisable to cut them too small or thin, as this may cause the ingredients to break down easily due to prolonged heating.They should also be uniform in size and thickness for even cooking and flavor absorption.

"Frying through" means that all meat pieces should be stir-fried until they change color, the fat begins to release oil, and there is a glossy appearance.Freshly purchased meat is best first blanched in water before stir-frying.The purpose of blanching is to remove residual blood and fishy smell from the meat.Do not use too much oil when stir-frying; after it's done, drain off some of the cooked fat.This ensures that the dish is not greasy.If braising fish, always use fresh fish. Once both sides are golden brown and have a thin hard skin, they can be removed for cooking.After raw materials are stir-fried or pan-fried, start another clean pot with oil heated to the right temperature. First add Shaoxing wine, old soy sauce, etc., as seasonings.Allow the color of the soy sauce to adhere to the ingredients before adding fresh broth or water.

If you pour in water prematurely without allowing the ingredients to color first, the seasonings will be diluted and the finished dish will turn grayish and lack luster.Always add enough liquid at once; do not top up midway. Remember to cover with a lid.For braising meat, it's best if the liquid covers the ingredients, while for fish, use less.Generally speaking, the amount of broth should be twice that of the raw materials. When the dish is nearly ready, let it simmer until the raw materials are almost tender before finishing with a quick boil to thicken and enrich the sauce.Do not over-reduce the liquid; too thick a sauce will lose the character of braised dishes.

Thickening should be light, using just a little water-starch slurry. This ensures that the juice is clear and shiny, with the main ingredients prominently featured.Additionally, use high heat at both ends, maintaining medium to low heat in between. When adding the main ingredient, quickly stir-fry until it starts boiling, remove any scum, adjust the flavor well, then simmer slowly until the meat becomes tender and the sauce soaks into the ingredients before finishing with a quick boil.The preliminary coloring of braised dishes is achieved simultaneously during cooking.Fish can be lightly fried to a light red in color before formal preparation, where additional colors can come from sugar, soy sauce, alcohol, or grape wine. However, do not overcolor the dish as this may affect its appearance.The taste of braised dishes is primarily salty and fresh with a hint of sweetness; most flavor comes from soy sauce, but the amount of sugar should be moderate; less is preferable.

I no longer use sugar for coloring when making braised dishes; instead, I rely on old soy sauce. If you prefer a sweeter taste, you can use sugar for coloring.When the ingredients are almost tender, immediately switch to high heat to reduce the sauce.At this point, promptly adjust the dish's flavor to ensure accurate taste and color when the dish is finished, with thick and glossy sauce.

For braised fish, it typically needs to be fried until both sides turn golden before adding flavors.Additional coloring for non-seafood meat dishes can come from sugar, soy sauce, alcohol, or grape wine.Do not overly color the dish; this might affect its appearance.The taste of braised dishes is mainly salty and fresh with a slight sweetness. Flavor is primarily adjusted using soy sauce, while the amount of sugar should be moderate, better to be less than more.I no longer use sugar for coloring when making braised dishes; instead, I rely on old soy sauce. If you prefer a sweeter taste, you can use sugar for coloring.When the ingredients are almost tender, immediately switch to high heat to reduce the sauce.This ensures that the meat remains fresh and tender.

Always add salt at the end of cooking to maintain the freshness of the meat.For non-seafood braised meats, use more garlic and less star anise.

Moreover, my secret for braised dishes is: add salt just before serving to keep the meat tender;For braising non-seafood meats, use more garlic and less large spices.