Some dishes that cannot be opened and seasoned during the heating process, such as steaming and water-proof stew dishes, must be seasoned before putting them in the pot, such as steamed fish, steamed chicken , steamed meat , stewed (water-proof) duck, pot braised meat, jar meat , etc.
The seasoning method is generally: put the mixed soup or stirred ingredients into the vessel together with the steamed and stewed ingredients to facilitate the flavoring during the heating process.
Seasoning during heating is also called formal seasoning or final seasoning. The taste of the dish is determined by this step.
After the ingredients are put into the pot, at the appropriate time, salty or sweet, sour or spicy, fragrant or fresh condiments are added according to the cooking requirements of the dish and the taste of the eater.
For some dishes that are stir-fried over high heat, the required condiments must be mixed in a bowl in advance. This is called "preparing the condiments" or "adding the sauce" so that they can be added in time during cooking without delaying the heat.
Heated seasoning, also known as auxiliary seasoning.
can add a specific taste to dishes.
Some dishes, although seasoned in the first and second stages, still do not meet the required requirements in terms of color, aroma and taste, so they need to be finalized after heating.
For example, fried vegetables are often sprinkled with salt and pepper or chili oil, and boiled vegetables are also dipped in many seasonings. Some steamed vegetables also need to be poured with additional sauce before serving, and cold dishes such as boiling and mixing also need to be poured with prepared sauce.
Seasoning is one of the final technical keys to mature dishes. When combined with heat, you can cook dishes with excellent aroma, taste and appearance.
What are the tips for seasoning?
Seasoning is to combine the main ingredients, auxiliary ingredients and condiments. During the cooking and heating process, various physical and chemical changes are carried out to remove bad smells and odors, increase the delicious flavor, and make the dishes form a new and popular taste, thereby increasing appetite and benefiting health.
Qing Dynasty writer Yuan Mei once made a vivid metaphor when discussing the role of condiments. He said:
"The ingredients in the kitchen are like women's clothes and jewelry.
Although they are beautiful and good at applying them, their clothes are ragged and it is difficult to tolerate them."
Chinese cuisine has endless changes in taste. Many local dishes have their own characteristics and a variety of flavors, all of which have the miraculous effect of seasoning.
The basic tips for seasoning are as follows:
1. Seasoning according to ingredients
Fresh chicken, fish, shrimp, vegetables, etc. have their own special umami flavor. Seasoning should not be excessive to avoid covering up the natural delicious taste.
If the ingredients themselves are no longer fresh, the seasoning can be a little heavier to remove the evil smell, which is commonly known as "squeezing the mouth".
For ingredients with a strong smell of fishy smell, such as stale fish, shrimp, crab, beef, mutton and offal, you should add more seasonings to remove fishy and greasy smell, such as cooking wine, vinegar, sugar, onions, ginger, garlic, etc., in order to reduce the unpleasant smell and increase the freshness.
Ingredients that have no specific taste themselves, such as sea cucumber, wing belly, etc., in addition to using fresh soup, they should also be given corresponding condiments according to the specific presentation requirements of the dishes.
2. Seasoning according to the dish
Each dish has its own specific taste, which is finally determined through different cooking methods.
Therefore, the types and quantities of condiments cannot be random.
Especially for multi-flavor dishes, it is necessary to distinguish the primary and secondary flavors in order to use the main and auxiliary ingredients appropriately.
For example, some dishes are mainly sweet and sour, some dishes are mainly fresh and fragrant, some dishes are sweet at the beginning and salty at the end, or salty at the beginning and sweet at the end, etc.
The secret of this variety of flavors in one dish lies in the use of seasoning techniques.
3. Seasonal seasoning
People's tastes often vary with seasonal changes, which is also related to the body's metabolic status.
For example, due to the cold climate in winter, people like to eat rich and rich dishes, while in hot summer, they like light and refreshing food.
4. Seasoning according to people
Our country has a vast territory, and eating habits and taste preferences vary from place to place. Therefore, when cooking, we must pay attention to the different tastes of diners and maintain the flavor characteristics of local dishes so that we can cook according to people.
The so-called "food has no fixed taste, but the taste is delicious" (" Shanjia Qinggong ") is a vivid summary of the custom-made dishes.
5. High-quality seasonings and proper seasonings.
Good ingredients but poor seasonings, or improper seasonings, will affect the flavor of the dishes.
In this regard, Yuan Mei pointed out: "Those who are good at cooking should use high-quality sauces and taste the sweetness first.
Use sesame oil for oil, and you must check whether it is raw or cooked.
Use a winemaker to remove the residue, and use rice vinegar for vinegar. It must be clear and crisp.
And the sauce can be divided into light and thick, the oil can be divided into meat and vegetables, and the wine can be sour and sweet. The difference is that vinegar is old and new, so don’t make any mistakes.
Other onions, peppers, ginger, cinnamon, sugar, and salt are all used in small quantities, but they should all be of high quality. "
High-quality seasonings also mean that the famous seasonings of that place should be used when cooking dishes, so that the flavor of the dishes can be highlighted.
